


The Benefactor

by WritingsOfLia



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: 5 Seconds of Summer - Freeform, 5sos fanfic - Freeform, 5sos fanfiction, Ashton Irwin - Freeform, BDSM, Calum Hood - Freeform, Cashton, F/M, Fanfic, M/M, Multi, dom!ash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-27
Updated: 2017-02-27
Packaged: 2018-04-28 12:01:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 36,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5089973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritingsOfLia/pseuds/WritingsOfLia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An operation gone wrong, an agent on the run...</p><p>Ashton is currently working in an elite BDSM club, hiding from people from his past, but knowing that some day past will come after him. It's plain coincidence that past has a companion. Calum appears in Ashton's life, bringing many feelings that Ashton thought he'd long forgotten, and risking his own life in order to help Ashton get his life back. <br/>As time goes, Ashton isn't sure anymore if he wants his old life back though... he hopes to find balance with Calum's help, but first they need to find the person who caused several people's death and is now treating Ashton's life as well...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please keep in mind that this is a work of fiction.

The show ended and as Ashton glanced down from the stage, to his beloved and very well known audience, it broke out in exultation. He could have been used to it by now, more than two years in this club, but this feeling was superlatively wonderful. And he loved every second of it.   
Women and men, both clapped, some complimented him with head tilts, others were asking for more, as if they didn’t know this was the last show for tonight. The last for Ashton at least.  
Luckily the special meet & greet had happened after the first show, so now the only thing that was left for Ashton to do, was going back to his changing room and change, - or rather get dressed, after all he was naked. And then, he’d just go home to his comfortable apartment and sleep through the majority of the next day – which is actually already today, because it was past two in the morning.  
Ashton’s exhaustion couldn’t have been measured on any scale known by humankind; so really, all he wanted was just to sleep. He did not want to have a boner right now, that given the lack of motivation, he was going to have to drive home with. He did not want thoughts of his ex „girlfriend” who had just left him a week ago for good, and whom he’d been missing ever since. Only if one of his boss’s favorite posies weren’t something like this „be turned on even if you’re sad, or you won’t see money, not even in your dreams”, he wouldn’t have bothered. He would have danced, stripped his clothes and smiled. But because of the money he’d been forced to think of something erotic. And what had Ashton been thinking of? Sandra tied to my bed. Sandra learning to kneel properly. Sandra practicing to suck dick. Sandra taking her first anal plug, then her first anal fucking. Sandra, Sandra, Sandra. The name was written all over his brain.   
Tonight, Ashton wasn’t interested in any of the dozens of women and men. Although any other day, he’d have loved spending some precious fun time with any of them. But not today. This one girl held his mind busy, not letting any other thought to interrupt. He’d been daydreaming about making her fall in love with him so many times on this same goddamned stage. But tonight, he was already aware that there wasn’t any point to it anymore. This girl was never going to be his girlfriend. Too late now.   
Lucky for him, the night was over. So after a smile full of relief and a last glance at his audience he’d hoped the rest would be easy. Meanwhile he discovered some familiar faces again, his eyes stuck at drunk looking man laying on a table. In this club it was extremely rare to see drunk people, for the strict rules that didn’t allow any guest more than three drinks. Here the money wasn’t in the alcohol at all. Although Ashton felt the guy, he already knew that the solution to a problem was never held in alcohol.   
Rarely seeing drunk people, the staff seemed unable to handle the situation. Ashton thought it had had to be more than ten minutes while he picked up all the money from the stage that he’d received with his show – and while quickly he put on his jeans and a black tank top. Short night over. Ashton thought while he made his way toward this guy, who wouldn’t want to leave the club. “I’ll take care of this.” He winked at the waitress who’d been trying to make the half unconscious guest leave. After the waitress left, Ashton sat opposite the man and tried to sound as emphatic as he could.   
If someone is drunk, there’s definitely a reason to it. Ashton had learnt that during the last couple of years. This guy certainly didn’t look like someone that was drinking out of joy. “I think you had enough, man.” He took the glass of whisky from his hands and put it on a passing waiter’s tray.  
The lack of the glass probably hurt the stranger, because a sort of grunt left his throat, but he didn’t lift his head yet. “Give it back!” A few seconds later, Ashton realized that the supposed grunt had in fact been talking.   
“There is not a woman worth drinking so much. You’ll feel like shit tomorrow, and regret it a hundred times. That disgusting nausea and all.” Ashton waved with his hand. “Not a woman.”  
“How do you know...” Four words into it the sentence drowned in hiccupping.  
Yet again waving with his hand, Ashton sighed. He’d been in this situation way too many times. One woman (or man) comes and the other goes. None of them will want him in the end. “I just do.”  
After that several minutes passed, Ashton decided there was no force needed. He just fed his eyes on the audience. Their attention was back on the stage. Two guys, whom Ashton knew well, performed a special show. In the end they’d kind of end up having sex. Ashton knew their program very well. He’d helped them put some parts of it together. Both guys were quite exhibitionists, and over-enthusiastic, but after a little bit of help from Ashton they always made a spectacular show. And by now they didn’t even need Ashton’s help anymore. From what Ashton could tell, they were doing well and although that filled Ashton’s heart with joy of success, he was way too tired to see how the show was going to end.   
The thundering music had started to make Ashton’s head ache, but what was there to be done when a poor soul needed help. If he’d just let this random guy be thrown out of the door, anything could happen to him and Ashton couldn’t live with that thought. There wasn’t a woman on this earth worth that much, he thought and sighed.  
The thought that maybe he should just put his arms around the black haired stranger and take him out of the club, started to take place in his head, when he noticed a little motion. “My girlfriend...” His words remained stuck in his throat though. However, sleepy and sad, very sad and very drunk dark eyes were penetrating Ashton’s. “Left me..” Ashton was staring at him, patiently waiting for more details. “Because she became lesbian.” After that, he raised his hands towards the ceiling and went on rambling, “She said she didn’t like my dick anymore!” It made Ashton feel as if he was complaining to God, how could you let this happen to me?   
Clearing his throat, Ashton drowned a loud laugh. “Surely she couldn’t have said that.”  
But those dark eyes were on Ashton again. “”Baby, I love pussy more.”” Ashton was ashamed of himself but he kind of smiled. Luckily for him, the guy was so drunk, he wasn’t even offended.   
“Come on, I’ll get you out of here.” After he stood up from his chair, Ashton pulled up his new friend.  
Although his attempt met protestation. “No, don’t! That cute guy...” Those pretty dark eyes were now looking for something towards the stage. While Mr Drunk was staring at nude men, Ashton let his own eyes wander towards the crotch of the man in his arms. He was starting to be a heavy weight and he was also beginning to sport a nice bulge. Maybe he isn’t even that drunk.   
“That pretty guy over there is almost done with the show, and after that my friend, comes the forest of pussies.” Empathically holding back a huge grin, Ashton informed the dude and tried to steady his posture. He was so fucking heavy despite his thin looking body, and his face became twenty shades whiter when he heard the word pussy. Temporary disgust of pussies. Awesome. Welcome to the club.   
“How can anyone even like that thing?” It completely made sense that the man in question had no freaking idea about what kind of things he was saying.   
“I honestly have no clue.” This time Ashton let his laugh out and it got lost in the keen cheering of the audience.


	2. Chapter 2

Waking up in a strange place is the weirdest feeling in the world. Calum was aware that some guy had taken him from the bar,  _dear God, from a gay bar!_ But he had no idea who this strange benefactor was, or where he had taken him to or if he was a benefactor at all, or some weird creep who only had bad intentions. Calum tried to focus his mind quickly, wanted to remember and feel, and hoped that he wasn’t going to discover something unusually strange in his backside or anywhere else. Luckily, there weren’t such surprises for him.  _I will never ever drink so much because of a woman._  
“I told you so.” At the sound of the voice, Calum realised that he’d been thinking out loud and literally jumped out of the bed. For the room’s cold temperature, he immediately noticed that he was standing in front of a strange man, and he was stood stark naked.  _Stood,_ in every meaning of the word.  
Embarrassed, Calum turned his back to his benefactor, but the amused grin that he’d seen just before he turned around, was probably printed into his brain forever.  _This guy is totally turned on because I am turned on, but why the fuck am I actually turned on?_ Thoughts of a pedophile “benefactor” were running round and round in his head, Calum was starting to feel dizzy because of them.  _This dude is probably going from club to club every night and picks up all kinds of drunk ass idiots, like me, and then God only knows what he does to them. Oh my God, I might be about to find out._  
“I told you that it’s the stupidest thing to get drunk because of a woman. Right now you’re probably wondering why you are here, what I’m going to do to you and why you are bearing an erection in such a dumb situation, and what not. And that is all because of a woman who doesn’t want that pretty thing you wear in your pants.” Then there was a few seconds of pause and Calum could almost feel that his chat partner was smiling. “Which right now is not in your pants, but I suppose that normally that’s where you store it, right?” He was probably waiting for an answer but Calum did not have the courage to say a single word, there wasn’t a thought that reached his brain cells. “I don’t mind if during your stay you’re playing a nudist, but the heating isn’t really working, so it’d be better if you got dressed. Your clothes are at the foot of the bed and whenever you’ll feel like looking my direction again, you’ll see it for yourself. I had to wash them because on the way home you threw up in my car. Thanks so much, by the way.” He wouldn’t shut his mouth. He was just talking and talking, vomiting the words one after another as if he was reading them. But after the part about the car, Calum wasn’t really able to concentrate on whatever else he said.  _Fuck, I threw up in his car._  
“I see you’re still not really in the mood for chat. It might be the shock, or I don’t know. Get dressed. I’ll be in the kitchen.”  
“Wait!” Calum realised that the only thing he’d heard in the last five minutes was the sound of the closing door. He knew that now he was alone in the room, so Calum turned swiftly and in fact, his clothes were neatly folded just where they were supposed to be regarding to his fast talking saviour.  
Exiting the room, he found himself in a wide hallway. To the right he saw a wall, and to the left seemed to be something like a living room. Although in the unknown place he felt slightly uncomfortable, Calum couldn’t help but realise that this flat had to belong to a quite wealthy man. He was going this and that way in the forest of wide spaces until he finally found the kitchen. There, sitting on an expensive looking chair at a yet again expensive looking breakfast table in an even more expensive looking kitchen, was the guy whom Calum had previously named his benefactor. “Nice flat.” He remarked.   
“Thanks.” He was offered a glass of water and some sort of medicine. “My name’s Ashton. Take that.” Without a thought to it, Calum followed the order, trying not to pay any mind to the satisfied smile on Ashton’s face. “I’m really hoping, that I’ll never have to see you in that state again in that bar.”  
“Likely enough, you won’t.”  
“You’re back to pussy, huh?” Ashton appeared quite disappointed. “I knew it. It was just temporary idiotism. Pussy is irresistible.” Everything Ashton said came off weird for Calum. Firstly, it made Calum believe that Ashton was honest, as if he knew very well what he was talking about. And also it appeared that the truth of his words, hurt Ashton as well. Calum could tell that there was some sort of discomfort in his voice when he spoke about women.   
“You’re completely confusing me with that mix of gay vibe and pussy love. How will I ever know if the next chick won’t do the same to me? One day she’s fine with my dick and the next she’s all pussy. Like you!”  
With sharpness in his eyes Ashton looked up. “Back off.” He seemed to regret raising his voice though, because his next words came out softer. The bitter gaze remained though. “You’ll never really know what games people are playing.” And after another one of his little pauses, his said grinning, “Gay vibe, huh? Like it?”  
Calum nearly choked on a sip of water. “Nope.”  
“Last night it seemed otherwise, but whatever.” Clearly disappointed by the answer, Ashton stared down at his empty water glass.  
“Last night...” Calum needed to swallow a great one before he could ask Ashton about last night. “Did anything happen between the two of us?”  
The facial expression Ashton was wearing at the moment did not give away anything about what he could have been thinking.  _Mysterious little shit._ And then all of a sudden he broke out laughing, which if possible confused Calum even more.  _Asshole._ “Between us,” Ashton cleared his throat, grinning widely, he managed to keep speaking, “Nothing happened.” That stupid grin apparently was never going to leave his face. “However, I can’t tell what would have happened between you and someone else if I’d been somewhere else.”  
“I know. I owe you.” Calum began and while he turned his eyes down, he noticed a phone. It was laying on the table in front of Ashton and it just lit up. Ashton reached for it, part of his gaze still on Calum. But before Calum could have thought of something to say, Ashton’s grin washed away, a serious expression replaced it. It was as if a dark cloud weighed shadow on it. Calum was happy for the lack of thoughts that could have occurred his mind. He didn’t want to interrupt Ashton with useless words anyway, when obviously he was getting some bad news. “You don’t owe me anything and that’s the end of it.” Ashton said suddenly, startling Calum a little. He didn’t place the phone back on to the table, but he seemed calm now. Calum soon had to realise though that there must be some trouble, because Ashton stood up and grasped his arm.   
“But your car and everything ... “ The movement that Ashton was dragging Calum with towards the door, seemed familiar. A picture in his mind came to life. He remembered Ashton literally doing the same to him last night. “You’re really throwing me out like this?”  
“I’m not throwing you out, idiot. But I’ve got a couple of errands to run, and don’t make me say that you’re kind of in the way.”  
Driven by some sudden urge, Calum thought it was time to ask all kinds of question from Ashton. “You’re working in that club, are you?” Ashton refused to reply. He just stood there in front of the door staring at the floor, still holding on to Calum’s arm. “I didn’t know being a waiter paid so well. I need something like that too.”  
Ashton raised his head but his eyes avoided Calum’s. “It’s not something for you.” And then suddenly he let go of Calum and moved to the door. “And now go on your way, please. You don’t owe me anything and I don’t want to see you in that club ever again. Get your shit together, find another girl or guy. Life goes on.”  
“I thought you were a nice guy.” Calum said as Ashton pushed him out of the flat.  
“I am, a nice guy. Don’t forget what I saved you from.” Calum did not need a reminder, but he was not going to tell him that. After all Ashton was right. “You’re lucky enough that you walked in there and not some place. People aren’t so nice everywhere.”  
“I should go back there then.”  
“Told you to forget about that.” Ashton was obviously irritated. “It. Is. Not. For. You.”  
“I’m not a kid. And you’re just a stranger. You can’t tell me what I am allowed to do.”  
“You know what? You’re right? Do whatever the hell you want. Let someone break your heart again, and then repeat this whole thing you did last night. But let me tell you something. Next time, don’t expect me to save your ass. Look for some other idiot.” And with that the door closed in front of Calum.  _Weird guy._ But what could Calum do about it? He started to make his way out of Ashton's building.

* * *

 After sending Calum on his way, Ashton glanced at his phone, which he’d been gripping in his hand for a while now.  _I’ll be there in ten. We need to talk._ If anytime, anyone says that “we need to talk”, that never ends well. When Ashton had seen this message in the kitchen, shortly after giving Calum water and medicine, he felt like the world was going to open up and swallow him. It could have come anytime, a bit later maybe. He’d wanted to flirt a little more with this guy. Or a lot more.  _I don’t even know his name._ With a fast move he almost tore the door out of its frame and hoped that the stranger hadn’t gotten far yet. Ashton noticed the black hair in the far end of the corridor and yelled, “What’s your name?” 

The man turned around. The distance between them couldn’t hide the puzzlement on his face. “Calum.” He answered anyway and then left.  
“Calum.” Ashton tried how the name sounded, and found it pleasing. He didn’t have much time left to think about what he could have said to Calum to make him stay, because the very reason of why he’d had to make Calum leave was just appearing on the corner of the corridor. That corridor was the same that Calum had used to exit.   
She was wearing high heeled shoes and a pretty skirt with a shirt that was quite appealing to a man who enjoyed looking at women. Her long blonde hair was flowing down her shoulders. She was one of the many women who only used him until they found who they were really looking for the whole time. That was the end of every story. Ashton knew, without her having to say anything that it was the end. “Amelia.” He whispered her name, forcing a smile on his face as the girl was getting closer.  
“Hey, Ash!” Amelia smiled brightly. It was one of those rare occasions she did that. At least these women, his women and sometimes men, always came out of the situation with much deserved happiness. “That cute guy was just coming from you, wasn’t he? Did I interrupt a date?”  
“Oh nope. Come on in.” Ashton tried his best to stay cool. Amelia finally seemed to have found happiness and he wasn’t going to ruin it. After all he had worked hard too to help her get to this point in her life. It made him glad as well, and he was going show her that. She needed it. “What would you like to talk about?” He didn’t even close the door and he was already at it. Happiness or not, it was better if they went through it quickly. He wanted to rest.   
“Alright. I’ll be fast.” The girl must have noticed that Ashton wasn’t really in a good mood. “I think, now I don’t need you anymore. Gosh, this sounds awful. Please don’t be mad at me, but I have no idea how I could say this.”  
“It’s fine, Amelia.” He was still faking that smile. “I think, you’re ready for whatever is coming your way. Kick ass, girl!” For a brief moment, memories surfaced. Ashton remembered the day he’d first seen Amelia. She couldn’t even look at high heels, let alone walk in them. She’d learnt so much in the last couple of months and hopefully she’d enjoyed her time with him.  
“You’re a good man, Ash.”  
“Funny you say that.” He felt a little better now thinking about Calum. But it wasn’t time for that. Now it was about Amelia. He should have known that this day was going to come. Students always leave their master. That’s how things work. “So do I know this lucky guy who has robbed your heart?”  
“Ah, it’s not a guy. A girl.”  
Ashton almost laughed out loud.  _She doesn’t want my dick!_ Calum’s words echoed in his head. “Good luck! Be brave, but not too brave.”  
“Will do, sir!” Amelia winked, and then slowly stepped up to Ashton, as if she was asking for permission to hug him. Ashton nodded and then she took him in her arms. “I wish you a lot of luck as well.” She whispered. His mind was racing with thoughts. Yes, he needed a damn lot of luck. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Stay tuned for updates!


	3. Chapter 3

Ashton had thought that getting over Sandra was going to be the hardest so far, but he’d been wrong. He realised that now. Amelia was way more trouble, in any way in particular. She was a harder case than anyone else before, but she was extraordinary. For some weird unknown reason Ashton never really noticed how he truly felt for a partner until it was time for them to leave. So as always, he now too regretted it afterwards. He should have admitted it to himself that it was perfectly fine to have an emotional relationship as well with his students. After all if both parties agree, wouldn’t it be alright to do? He always ended up thinking that it was the way he should handle his students. There couldn’t be more than lessons of sexual partnership and some other things. These things were ethically acceptable, but feelings didn’t not belong here. And with all of those 12 people he’d dealt with so far, it worked greatly that way. Everyone came out happily in the end. Everyone found themselves and a partner, sooner or later they always did, and that was when they left Ashton.   
But he started to see now that things weren’t really fine this way. Why would he put everyone else first and never care about what he wanted? _Emotions are taboo._ First lesson that is. _Maybe I could change it to something like “Emotions could be an option, but not requirement.”_ He thought it sounded ridiculous though. One of the reasons why people trusted him was the very fact that he did not ever try to force anyone into a real relationship. If he started out with the fact that he was looking for a long term partner, they’d likely run away in an instant. Teaching people every aspect of the lifestyle he knew wasn’t his way of dating. It could never be. _People of my kind can’t really do the dating thing._  
It kept prickling his mind though. What if he just spent some time on finding someone who with emotions could work? Why couldn’t he date like anyone else? Maybe it wasn’t the same thing, but certainly he could try something? After all he was a member at the city’s best bdsm clubs. Where else would he find anyone?  
Just as that thought was born in his head, a familiar black haired young man stepped into his eyesight. And he was staring right at Ashton’s crotch. _So you came back?_ Ashton was in the mood to spank Calum’s hot ass for disobeying him. _Well then, you came for a show? Here’s your show.  
_ One of his boss’s rules was “Lap dance only after the money”. Ashton completely forgetting that rule, jumped off the stage and made it straight towards Calum. He “helped” him onto the nearest sofa by quickly straddling his thighs. Ashton also made sure that he pressed down on Calum enough to make him feel just how turned on he was. He wanted Calum to feel what he had just been staring at a few seconds ago. While leaning in to Calum’s face, Ashton thought that Calum’s heavy breathing meant that he enjoyed the situation as much he did. And the cock growing beneath him gave Ashton the same impression. _He loves this._ “What did I tell you? Stay away from this place!” He said into Calum’s ear, making sure that no one else heard him. Several people were staring at them, but Ashton ignored everyone but the man under him. His words must have frightened him, because Calum suddenly began to shake. His whole body was definitely shaking. _Was I wrong?_ And then it occurred to Ashton that it hadn’t been a five star idea at all to just jump on him from out of nowhere. Faster than ever, he got up and ran off to his changing room, fully aware that it was probably his last day in the club, ever.  
It took less than two minutes for his boss to hear about what had happened. And Ashton was ordered in to his office for a visit right away. He was just contemplating all the possible scenarios about the consequences of his behaviour when a waitress entered his room without a knock whatsoever. “Ashton, boss’s waiting for you.” And with that she was off, not even expecting him to say a word. _She’s probably still not over last week._ She’d made a move on him, but Ashton had not been interested in her at all, and she didn’t take it well. But who cared about crazy women when he was about to lose his job. He pulled up black jeans to cover his underwear which was his most worn work uniform, and hurried to the back of the building.   
“Finally you’re here!” Boss, who’s real name only a few people were lucky to know, seemed nervous when Ashton entered the office. _Of course on any other day when there’s trouble in the club he can be out but now he must be here.  
_ Ashton sighed. “Sorry, Boss. I thought it would be better if I pick up some clothing before coming here.”  
“It’s not like I have never seen you in underwear, or naked.” Grunted Boss. “Whatever. Explain what the hell happened out there? And don’t even try bullshitting me. I happened to be just there.” _Why do I have to explain it then?_  
“The only thing that happened was what you saw.” Thinking about how to express himself, Ashton finger combed his hair. It was sticky of sweat since he’d spent one and a half hour on stage. “There was this guy and he was being an idiot. I couldn’t think of anything but ...”  
“But to jump on to him? Just like that without any sort of discussion or anything? What the hell were you thinking?” _I wish I knew. Really what did I think? Why am I still here at all? Why won’t this asshole just fire me?_  
Ever since Ashton had been in this club, if anyone ever did such a stupid thing they never got another shot. They weren’t being interviewed whatsoever. Ashton didn’t have a clue about what Boss wanted from him. “And this kid is not even a member of the club! What was he doing here? Did you bring him in?”  
“Me?” Braving a step towards his boss, Ashton raised his voice and quickly noticed that it was a mistake. So he quieted, “Nope. That’s what got me going! The other night he was drunk as fuck and I took him home.” Of course he intentionally forgot to mention who’s home he had taken Calum to. “I told him to never come here again.”  
“He showed up though.”  
“He did. But I swear I have no idea how he got in in the first place. I don’t even know who let him drink at all. He must have been drunk before he’d come in. I have no idea who let him in though.”  
“Our security system is falling apart since my best man left because he fell in love and shit and his girl wouldn’t let him work here. Stupid bitch.” Ashton didn’t say a word. He just nodded and cleared his throat. Lately the club’s things were really all over the place.  
“Then it’s probably my turn to complain, because working here is not safe anymore. You should put this shit together.”  
“Just don’t tell me what to do, okay?” Despite his words, the boss didn’t seem offended. He knew that ash ton was right. A club of this kind could only work properly and safely if there weren’t any bugs in the machine. “By any chance don’t you know a good security guy that could keep this place together?”  
“Nope, sorry.” After a bit of pause though, Ashton thought that he could take his turn in asking questions now. “So what with me now?”  
Before Boss could have said anything about his plans concerning Ashton, there was a knock on the door. Boss yelled for whoever was outside to come in and a security guy appeared in the door. “Sorry, Boss. This dude says he’s not going anywhere till he can see Ashton.”  
Ashton’s eyes grew wide when he saw that the dude standing in the darkness behind the security guy, was Calum. Fainting threatened Ashton. _Who else could it be?_  
Boss rose from his enormous chair and rounding the desk, he said, “Talk then. See you tomorrow.” Ashton sighed. He had been kind of thinking that he was going to be fired and started to like the idea. He enjoyed working here, but after a while it became very exhausting. He’d made the decision to not leave though, not until he’s being sent away.   
When the door closed behind Boss, Ashton sat down on the couch. It was a pretty nice piece, comfortable enough. Although it didn’t ease Ashton’s discomfort at all. He threw his left ankle over his right knee and tried not to show anger. “What do you want?” His words came out harshly, he couldn’t take them back though.   
“What do I want?” Calum seemed taken aback. “What do you want?” He pointed his finger at Ashton, who kept acting as if the whole situation left him cold, when in fact he was just getting more and more annoyed by Calum’s denial. “I just came here to apologise and to pay for the damage I made in your car, and to once again thank you for what you did and you jumped at me like that! Like a hungry lion at the prey!” From the corner of his eye Ashton caught Calum’s facial expression. He’d wanted to avoid eye contact. But he couldn’t help. _Fuck he’s angry._  
Careful to keep a straight face, Ashton said, “I might just be one.”  
“I’d rather call you an idiot.”  
“An idiot, huh?” Ashton couldn’t stand it anymore, he stood up and walked to Calum. Crossing his arms in front of his chest, he raised his eyebrows. “Why are you so excited than to see an idiot?” Calum turned a bright red then. “You know what? I don’t believe a word you say. You came here because you want something. You didn’t come to apologise. You came to see me. You want something from me, right?” With every word that left Ashton’s mouth he inched closer to Calum. Calum kept backing off until he reached the other couch in the office. It was exactly like the one Ashton had sat on earlier. “Comfortable enough?” He winked at him from above when Calum fell flat on his ass on the leather. “What do you want?”  
“I... nothing...”   
Biting his lips, Ashton reached out with his hands and placed them on to Calum’s shoulders. “You like this. You like being helpless. I saw it on you out there. And I see it again.” It didn’t go unnoticed for Ashton that Calum didn’t care about the hands gripping him tightly by the shoulders. The only thing that he seemed to care about was Ashton’s crotch. So Ashton playfully thrust his hips towards Calum. Calum didn’t do anything to stop Ashton when he then straddled his thighs, and he was facing Ashton’s growing erection. “Now tell me what you want?”  
“I don’t...” Ashton wouldn’t let anyone fool him, and also he wouldn’t let anyone fool themselves. He was sure that Calum was afraid of what he really wanted that he kept denying it, as if he could convince himself that he really didn’t want anything. So Ashton circled his hips, testing if Calum would follow his movement. Oh he did follow them.   
“Liar.” After repeating the earlier little thrust Ashton unbuttoned his jeans and pulled the zipper down. While he did that, his cock throbbed with need.   
Calum was having a hard time controlling his breathing. “I just...”   
“Yes?” Slightly, Ashton tilted his head. He was going to get him speak. He stroked the front of his underwear that hid his painfully growing erection.   
Unable to draw his eyes from Ashton’s hand that kept teasing his cock, Calum said, “I want to see you.”  
“See me?” Ashton laughed, after hissing softly for he was now feeling very uncomfortable. “What do you wanna see on me Calum? What is it? Didn’t you see me last night? I was naked literally all day.” _Unlike today.  
_ “No, I don’t remember you. Only others.”   
He let go of his shoulder with one hand and placed it on Calum’s cheek. It was so hot. “My eyes are up here.” He grinned when Calum’s eyes found his. “Only special people can see me. This is a private club. The show is not free.”  
“I’ve got money.”  
With a finger, Ashton traced the line of Calum’s lips. “No, you don’t. Don’t be offended, but you don’t have money for this.” Calum looked quite sad hearing that. “But you know what? I’ll make an exception for you.” Those beautiful eyes that Ashton was starting to like lit up. “Considering that your girlfriend just left you. Take it as a gift, or charity.” He was trying to sound arrogant so Calum might change his mind. But he did no such thing. “It’s been a while anyway that I took part in a charity case. Just tell me what you want.”  
Ashton thought he heard Calum mutter something that sounded like “benefactor” and there was a stupid grin across his face, so he asked, “What?”  
“Nothing.” Calum shook his head, leaving Ashton out of whatever the joke was. “I’ve already told you.”  
“Oops. I forgot.” Ashton shrugged laughing. “Tell me again.”  
This time a little annoyance was displayed on Calum’s face. He was starting to become impatient. _Very well, my friend, very well._ “I want to see you. I came here to see you.”   
“Alright then.” With a fast move Ashton got off of Calum’s lap and pushed down his pants and underwear. His cock sprang free, he literally felt better now that he was naked. Calum’s eyes did not cease staring at Ashton. He wasn’t only staring at his dick now. He was looking at the whole package. Ashton loved it. After all that made a good stripper, right? You’ve got to love being seen. Adjusting his position above Calum again, Ashton laughed. “If you want, I can give you a dedicated picture of me. So you can always see me.” And he winked again, then driven by some sudden urge he put a kiss on Calum’s neck. Right where a big vein was vey visibly doing its job. Thinking about the fact that Calum’s dick was growing just a bit lower from where his ass was, made Ashton want to sit on Calum’s lap. He thought about the sight that greeted him this morning. He’d never forget it. Calum had a beautiful penis and he hadn’t even seen it fully erect.   
Then he tightly gripped his manhood. “See Calum?” Calum nodded, obviously drained of words by the sight. “Did you ever think you like men?” The answer to this question was only a shake of his head. “That’s what it’s like. Sometimes we want things we’d never have thought about wanting. What do you want now Calum?” Calum’s name sounded more like a grunt from Ashton’s mouth. He wanted to come already but he needed Calum to engage in the situation. Calum’s lips were in line with the head of Ashton’s cock and it took everything Ashton had not to use his mouth for lubrication. _Ah, it’s been so long ..._  
“I want to watch you.” Calum interrupted Ashton’s daydreaming about a blowjob.   
Before he’d explode seeing images in his head about Calum sucking his dick, Ashton spat in his palm and then continued fisting his dick with now his lubricated hand. “Ah, yes, watch me? You’re watching me Calum. Right now, oh shit.” He turned his head towards the ceiling and closed his eyes for a second and then looked down at Calum while he edged himself closer to orgasm. “What do you want, Calum?”  
“Masturbate in front of me. Come.” The answer was definite and it made Ashton smile. He wasn’t able to hold on any longer so with some powerful squeezes and pumps he was working himself up to the top. He wouldn’t take his eyes off of Calum though, and kept shaking his head. He could hardly believe what he was doing. “Is this what you wanted?” Ashton asked his voice hoarse and sweat began dripping from his face.   
Calum was apparently mesmerized, yes he wanted this and soon Ashton was reassured about that, when Calum squeezed his eyes shut and his hands went to the front of his pants. Subconsciously he tried covering the fact that he just came into his pants like a fifteen year old. But that didn’t matter now. All Ashton could see was the way Calum’s eyes shone when he opened them again, and how he bit his lips with his teeth as his body gave over to the pleasure. He almost drew blood. _Fuck, Calum, stop being so hot._  
The best part in sex for Ashton was always when he could see his partners come. He didn’t have a lot of time to enjoy that now, although the sight was beautiful, he was on the edge as well. So he let go of his dick and grabbed hold of Calum’s cheap looking shirt and took it off of him. Ashton did not give a thought to Calum’s confused face. He went back to stroking his dick and already felt it inside. It was going to be over soon.   
As the wave of the orgasm caught him as well, with Calum’s name on his mouth Ashton shot his sperm onto Calum’s stomach. “Ah fuck.” In between heavily taken breaths Ashton admired his art work and so did Calum. Without a word, but noticeably happily he was following the way Ashton’s cum covered his skin.   
With a smaller but definitely still very satisfied grin on his face, Ashton kissed Calum’s neck again. And then he stood up and stretched out his tired body parts. Then he pulled up his underwear and pants, and readjusted his now relieved penis. “I think you’ll have to buy new underwear from that money you wanted to give me.”   
Calum hesitated. He didn’t know what to do with his chest that was painted with white now. Noticing that, Ashton grabbed a couple of tissues from Boss’s desk and handed them to him. With a satisfied smile he watched Calum clean himself and listened to him speaking. “I don’t know why you think I’m so poor.”  
“Dude.” Ashton couldn’t help but sigh. “This is a high end club. I recognise the ones who belong here. There are rules here and getting in here the way you did is impossible.”  
“How do you how I got in?”  
“I know everyone here. This place runs on an invitation system. When a member invites a person, we always throw a night just for that person. I am sure that you’ve never been given such a party. I’m sure you’re new here and sure that you don’t belong here.” He discovered a little confusion on Calum’s face, so he continued this way, “Also, I was like you. I remember what it was like. I recognize it.”  
“And now you’re like them? You belong here?”  
“No. I’ll never belong to them.” Said Ashton and hoped that Calum felt the pride he’d said it with. “I’m not ashamed of where I came from. Some of these people would sell their mother if they could get something good out of it.”  
“And you’re still here.” Calum stood up and tried closing the distance between them. “I want to ...”  
“Forget it.” Ashton warned Calum. “Remember what just happened. This was a favour for you won1t cause me trouble for what happened outside earlier. There are way worse things happening here and you can’t even imagine half of them. It’s not for you. I understand that you’re curious and everything and it’s a great thing. But don’t come here to explore. This is hardcore. Understand?”  
“I don’t understand why you’re saying such things about this place if you’re working here. It can’t be that bad.”   
“Look. This is not about whether it’s a good or bad place. This is just not your place.”  
“But how do you know that?” Calum turned his back to Ashton. “It’s just because I don’t have money for it?”  
“No. It’s because you’re a complete beginner. You have no idea what you want. Find that out first, and then if you are still interested you might try coming around.  
“I don’t know where to start, alright?” He seemed desperate. It always started out like this. Ashton started to feel sorry for them and then he’d take them under his wings. “When I woke up in the morning at your place I had no idea where I was and that last night had been real at all! I saw all those men on stage and all I could think about was that my girlfriend suddenly became a lesbian. Is it so easy to just change direction? I wanted to find out and it seemed exciting, but I was ass drunk and had no idea if it was real and I truly feel like it or it was just because I wanted to feel like it! I wanted to know what she felt, how she ended up turning.”  
“So you came back to find out. And I think you know the answer.”  
“In that moment when I came in, I felt this place. As if this is my place. I saw you and I have never felt like this when I saw women. I never even thought of strippers or porn. But this place, it wants me.”  
_Jesus Christ. So many feelings._ Ashton wanted to punch something. This man was dangerous. Feelings all over the place and the boy had no idea what he was getting himself in to. “You’re in deep shit.” That was all Ashton said before taking Calum by the arm and escorting him out of the office.


	4. Chapter 4

During the whole drive Calum was as quiet as he could be. Ashton wondered what had gotten to him. He could have regretted everything by now. And Ashton would accept it. But his silence only made Ashton unsure about the entire situation.  
By the time they reached his flat, Ashton thought better of it all and started to wonder if he should really be introducing Calum into his life. Yes he was interested, he had said so and yes Ashton found Calum’s interest appealing enough to start training him. But somehow, this whole thing with Calum didn’t click for Ashton. At any other given chance he’d be glad to welcome Calum but not now. He was devastated by Amelia’s leaving. „So this is my flat.” Ashton led Calum into the apartment he’d been living in for ever since he’d been working in the Club. Getting a membership there a couple years ago had been the best decision he had made, Ashton always thought of it that way. It allowed him a comfortable life, a nice place to live at and lots of fun.   
Calum stared at Ashton blankly. “For real?” He asked as Ashton opened the front door and motioned for Calum to take a step inside.   
Ashton was confused for a second. “What?”  
“You already forgot I was here this morning?”  
“Oh no. I just thought you would get a decent tour now, but with your sassy mouth you played that chance.” He totally forgot that Calum had been here. He hadn’t actually forgotten about it, how could he. After all he had seen Calum in his full naked glory and it was quite a funny start to a morning. But it had somehow passed his mind that Calum was actually going to remember his place, and his name and where he worked and that he could come after him. And oh look, he had come after him. _Why couldn’t he come when I already forgot about Amelia? Maybe he came to make me forget._  
Calum blinked. “You forgot.”  
“I did not. I’m just tired.” And he could only think of Amelia. It was a weird thing. Feelings were weird, Ashton thought. When he’d played with Calum earlier he didn’t think of Amelia for a second. But now, she was everywhere in his thoughts. Maybe it was the fact that Calum was actually going to do the training. It made Ashton realise that Amelia was gone now, and there was someone else to take her place. There was Calum now. He glanced at him sideways and tried hiding his annoyance towards him. _Seriously why does he have to push this? He doesn’t even know what kind of club he’s getting himself into._ He sighed. Yeah he was tired. So goddamn exhausted, he was positive he could fall asleep standing. “Now come on in and shut up when I talk.”  
“I wasn’t talking.”  
“You are now.” The sharp edge to his voice wouldn’t go away. “First of all here’s a fact for your information. You’ve called the Club a gay bar several times. It is not only that. It’s a bdsm club, alright? Keep that in mind. Straight or gay, or trans or anything is welcome there. So accept that you might see some pussies there. I can find you a real gay bar if that’s what you want though. There are a couple of them in the city. Oh and remember that when I tell you to shut up you shut up without questioning me.”    
Calum was taken aback for a second but his mouth still seemed to work faster than his brain. “You didn’t appear to me like this bossy kind of person. Ordering everyone around.”  
Somehow everything that Calum said started to pick on Ashton’s nerves. Had he heard anything at all of those things about the Club? Here was another night that he’d wanted to spend with mourning over losing a girl. Again he had lost someone he cared for and this guy wasn’t letting him be miserable about it. “Dude what the fuck? I told you to be quiet.”  
“Seriously what’s wrong with me speaking now? Are you that annoyed by me? Why are you constantly annoyed by my presence by the way? You were all about getting me speak when you were rubbing your cock in my face.” A shade of red coloured his cheeks. He was either still aroused by the memory or still felt ashamed of the fact that it had happened earlier. Ashton was kind of tired of the whole package that came with people who hadn’t figured out their shit yet. Sometimes it was amusing to watch them, but it wasn’t one of those times.   
“That was then and this is now. I’m trying to figure out a way of telling you some things. You’re apparently not going to leave me alone because I don’t either know, why won’t you?”  
“Because my girlfriend just left me and I’m trying to figure my shit out as you told me to do? You’ve already agreed to help me, so I don’t understand what you’re doing now.”  
“Oh.” There was a point to that but Ashton didn’t quite understand why Calum wanted to figure his shit out with his assistance. “Look, I have a friend. He could help you. He’s not a stripper, but he’s also a member at the Club like me and a Dom and I think he would be great for you.”  
“Great for me in what way?”  
“In a way I’m not?”  
“Why wouldn’t you be good?”  
“I know people like you. You get attached.” _Just like I do. Jesus when did I become such a pussy._ “I can only provide you some tips and tricks. There’s not going to be feelings here, or actual sex.”  
“We had sex ...”  
“That was not sex. And that was definitely the most that you get to see of me. Me marking you with my cum. Maybe at some point I’ll use your mouth, but that’s it.” He made room for himself on the sofa then sat down and leant back against the headrest. _Tired._ While rubbing his eyes with the backs of his hands, he asked, “Honestly Calum, did you think I was a hooker and I’d just have random sex with you so you can figure out your interests?”  
“I don’t know...”  
“I may be a stripper on occasion, but I’m much more than that. Definitely not a hooker. Even if you _were_ a member at the club, I’d not have sex with you.”  
“What is it you’d do then? And why don’t you have sex with anyone, what kind of a thing is it you do?” The whole thing just wasn’t happening as Ashton had expected. He’d hoped that Calum would just back out. He felt like he needed a bit of rest from all of this but still, he couldn’t reject such an enthusiastic newbie like Calum. Maybe if Calum decided he didn’t need any of this, then Ashton would feel well, but he knew, even if Calum happened to want to stay, he wouldn’t be able to just reject him.  
“With your complete consent I’d tie you to objects. I’d put other objects in you. I’d teach you how to act around a dominant.” He made sure to emphasize that last one, “You obviously need that latter lesson the most so we’re going to start off with that if you agree to do this.”  
The colour in Calum’s cheeks faded a bit, but he held his determination. “Consent, huh? If I don’t want something, you’ll not do it, right?”  
“Of course not. But I’ll likely try to convince you to want it.” And then something clicked in Ashton’s mind. “You were asking about me.” Ashton felt dumb for not realizing it sooner. “What they told you is true. All of it. I’m a mean dominant, camouflaged as an erotic dancer, but secretly beating the shit out of people.”  
Calum seemed disappointed that Ashton found out. “They wouldn’t tell me what went down during those meet and greets though. But now I can imagine.” And at this point he already had a kind of terrified expression on his face which Ashton personally found quite amusing. Yeah, he liked scaring people.  
“Oh no you can’t.” Ashton grinned. “In fact, some doms like bringing their subs to the club and swoon over me and others and offer them to play with us and well, they get a little bit of surprise when they find out that what they expect is the opposite of what they get.” It wasn’t nearly as bad as Ashton described it, but it was worth spicing up some details if it meant Calum would change his mind.  
“You often hit people? There is a lot who want it?”  
“There’s some every now and then. Not daily. And before you’d ask, yes you might watch me do it, if the participating parties agree to it. Otherwise not at all.”   
Ashton wished that Calum would take upon the chance and would want to watch, but it seemed like he didn’t even hear that part. “When they told me this, I didn’t believe it at first.”  
“You believe it now?”  
Calum stood still and quiet for a while. “I’m not sure.”  
Not losing track, Ashton said, “Believe it or not, it’s the truth. This is who I am. I’m a dominant. Sometimes I like to pretend I’m not, but that’s only for more enjoyment. I’m truly not at all a soft hearted little thing that you thought you’d get.”  
“And how,” Calum was thinking for a second, “how would this work? How could you help me? You said you could help me. I don’t understand what will happen. Will we actually be in a relationship?”  
“It is going to be a sort of relationship. But not the kind you think about. Calum, right now what you need is not a relationship where you go out on dinner dates and stuff like that. You came to that club for a reason. You keep coming back. You’re curious. You need to discover these new seas. But with me you won’t be doing that in the normal way. If you want the normal way, find someone else.”  
“Why can’t it be the normal way?”  
“I don’t do that.” _I wanted to start doing it just before you turned up._  
“Does this have anything to do with the no sex part? Would we really never have sex?”  
“I’m afraid not. And yes it does have something to do with that. It’s because I had a bad experience with someone I tried helping back in the day. She was confused, left like you. Then I happened to come across her. I was a beginner dominant. And we agreed that I’ll help her, she’ll help me. I hesitated about the sex part, but she convinced me it’d be great. I gave in. I only asked her to be faithful. I told her clearly that if we’re going to sleep together, we cannot be with anyone else. What do you think she did?”  
“She didn’t keep her promise.” While he said that, Calum bent his head, as if he was sad about what that bitch had done to Ashton.   
“She didn’t.” Ashton let a long breath out as if getting rid of this memory by telling Calum felt good. “Fortunately for her, I found out that whenever she cheated she was careful enough, so I got out of it clean. And I gave her a way out. Then I decided I would never do this kind of thing again. But the more and more people I met, I realized that some of them definitely need help. Some of those people that come into that club, holy crap. They’re worse than you. They think jumping into something entirely new is a good idea when you’re left and damaged and want to forget. The key is not the word forget. It’s moving on. You can learn from your mistakes and leave them in the past. You can’t forget them, no matter what you do. So I tried it again. There was another girl and a guy soon, and they were apparently submissives. Some dominants send some people my way if they know of someone in need of training.”  
“Training?”  
“Yes, training. Submissives, and dominants also need to learn some things in order to understand their partner and most importantly themselves.”  
“So you tried again.”  
“Yes.  I changed my way though. I’d never have sex with anyone; never let emotions come in the way. It is great. Actually you wouldn’t believe how many doms are out there that meet beautiful submissive souls but they’re just not ready for what they want to give them you know? And then here I come, help them develop. And everyone will be happy in the end.”  
“How would you be happy that way? I mean I understand you’re helping all these people, but who will help you?” That question touched Ashton. Did this boy care about him? “How will you find yourself if you won’t let anyone emotionally near you?”  
Ashton only shrugged. Then a few moments later, he said, “Look, if you will change your mind about this at any time, you can leave. If you feel like for whatever reason you cannot do it, it’s okay to go.”  
“I don’t want to go. I want to hear more about it.”  
Ashton thought about what else he could say. “We’ll write a contract. The most important things will be in it. Like that about the sex. It’s important that we keep our word, do you understand? After you had sex with someone, it won’t be the same. No matter how irrelevant the person you had sex with was, you’ll never be able to look at them the same way. If it happened between us, everything would be destroyed. If you feel like you’re feeling something other than what you’d normally feel for a teacher, you better tell me, and we end it.” He wouldn’t look away from Calum. He wanted to make sure that he listened to every word he said. “In order for things to work out well, we have to be honest with each other. All these things Calum, all of these things relate to each other and it works both ways. You must be honest with me, and I must be honest with you. You must trust me, I trust you. Simple as that, and yet I know it’s a tough task. But in any other relationship these things would be basic pillars. There’s also going to be a part about what you and what I get out of this. What you get is the learning of who you are or you are not, and while you’re at it you are free to get to know other people. You can even have sex with them if you’re that hungry for sex and try yourself out. But the same goes for me, Calum. I might have other students at the same time. That means that at some point you might have to share me with some else. It’s important that you understand that if that happens, you’re equal to that other person or those other people. Your development is equally important for me as others’ is. We’ll not have group studies though. Unless if that’s what you’d like. Because there’s also going to be a part in the contract of what you’d like and what you would not, we’ll get down to those in deep detail.”   
And Ashton would just go on and on telling Calum everything he should know. But Calum seemingly got tired of the words, but Ashton did his best tiring him. He wanted to see how long Calum can pay attention. “Enough. I’ve heard enough.” Calum said once, interrupting Ashton speaking about soft and hard limits.   
“Not nearly enough. You must be thoroughly informed before we do anything.”  
“I feel informed enough. Is there a paper I should sign that I was present? You could just stop talking and I could sign it and we pretend I heard all that’s important.” Ashton stared at Calum blankly. “This feels like going to school all over again. I hate it. And I have no idea how I got here. If I think about the fact that I just wanted to explore something new and have a little fun, I can’t help but think this is the wrong place for that. This doesn’t sound like fun. It sounds like business. It sounds like I’m business for you. Do you get money from someone for this? For training people or how you call it. You get money for it?”  
“I get paid at the club for doing what I do. I don’t get paid for training people.”  
“Why do you do this? Why can’t you just tell me that?”  
“Why? Because it gives me pleasure.”  
“How does it give you pleasure without sex and emotions?”  
“There are emotions. Just not the kind you think of. And there is sex. Just not with my trainees. And there is pleasure, oh there is. It’s in the dominating for me. It gives me great joy that I have control over people.”  
“Without sex.”  
“Yes. Why are you so caught up on that? There’s awesome things you can do with someone without sex.”  
“I really don’t know what I’m doing here.” Calum stood up and made his way towards the door, while Ashton sat still speechless and shocked. “I thought I could try loving a guy but I don’t even know anymore why I did that. And this guy definitely couldn’t be you. You don’t want love. You just... I don’t know. I can’t imagine this working out for me.”  
“This is not about love.” Ashton shouted after him, not even bothering to get up. “That’s the point. No pressure of emotionally living up to someone. Just learning about yourself.” He didn’t hear the door opening. _Let him go._ But he couldn’t stop himself from saying, “That’s the point. You just have to be selfish for once and be happy about that. This is all about you. Not me. Yes I get some joy out of it, but it’s mostly for you. And if it turns out that it isn’t for you, then you’re still good, because you can say that you learnt about yourself.” And then he could hear the door opening and then closing.

* * *

Ashton decided to not worry about Calum. Part of him wished he’d appear again, part of him didn’t want to see him ever again. He just kept picking on his nerves. Appearing then disappearing and then reappearing. 

So he locked the door that Calum walked out on an hour ago and took a shower. It was weird to be home at such hour. It wasn’t even midnight yet. Just when he put his head on his pillow, in hope of some sleep, his phone rang. With a grunt he picked it up though. “Hallo?”  
“Hey Master?” A voice he’d never forget greeted him with fake enthusiasm. He’d recognize it anytime. He knew her features. He knew when she was upset.   
He sat up. “What’s wrong Amelia?” He didn’t bother to tell her that once the contract was up she shouldn’t call him Master.   
“I just, uh really need to talk to someone. I know it was just a few hours ago that I ended our things but I couldn’t think of anyone to talk to about this.”  
“You know that you can come to talk to me anytime. Our contract is up but I’m still here for anything you need help with.”  
“Can I come over?”  
“Now?”   
“Yeah.”  
“For sure.”  
She must have called from the car. Ashton had barely had time to get a pair of pants and a shirt on and wash his face with some water, and within about ten minutes she was already there on his doorstep.“Well, hi.”  
“Hey, come on in.” He rushed her inside. “You want a drink?”  
“No, thanks. I drive.” She was anxious about something and it bothered Ashton a lot. “I’ll be quick. It’s just something that’s been on my mind lately. Will this feeling go away?” She put her hand on her chest, as if she put it above her heart, signalling something.  
“Feeling?”  
“I know this was forbidden.”  
“Oh, oh god. Oh Amelia.” Ashton jumped off the sofa, trying to get as far from the girl as possible within the blink of an eye.   
“I haven’t fallen in love with you! I haven’t I swear!” She followed suit of Ashton. “I just miss you and think about you. I really like this girl I’m with now, and I don’t think it’s fair if I keep thinking of someone else while I’m with her, so I was wondering. Will it go away?”  
“It’s been less than a day. I don’t know.”  
“You never felt anything of this sort for anyone?”  
“Not really.” He lied.  
“Oh.” Her face paled and her voice quieted. “God I’m an idiot.” She turned to leave, but Ashton grabbed her wrist, stopping her.   
“You are not an idiot.” Looking into her eyes, Ashton spoke softly, “It hasn’t been a day and I do miss you. I do think of how you’ll get by with your new experiences. And that is it. That is what you feel too, isn’t it? You’re worried about what’s going to happen now that you’re alone, but here’s the news. You’re not alone. And you’ll be okay. I’m sure you’ll make anyone very happy.”  
“I’m sure you will too.” She sighed, and made a step closer to him. Ashton already could guess what was coming. “Even if you don’t believe in that.” She hugged him then. It felt nice. And he was just about to tell her that, when he saw the door opening. Before he could have seen who it was, he knew it was Calum.

“Ammy?” Calum asked, not bothering to announce his arrival whatsoever. “Ammy, is that you?”  
“Calum?” She had to recognize the voice, because even before turning around, she asked. “What ...”  
“The hell.” Ashton finished for her. “Ammy?” He had never heard anyone call Amelia that. “You two know each other?”  
“She is my ex girlfriend’s best friend.” Said Calum.   
Amelia looked as pale as the wall, and quickly Ashton put it all together. From what he’d known about her, he knew that when they’d first met, she was admittedly in love with her best friend, Annie. That was her reason of asking Ashton’s help. On one hand, she had hoped she could forget about her feelings for her – although Ashton had told her it was stupid to think that, because it wasn’t going to happen. And on the other hand, she just hadn’t been sure at all about her sexuality and place in the bedroom. Ashton hadn’t asked her who this girl that she was seeing now was. But if it was Annie, her best friend, then, Annie could have been Calum’s ex girlfriend, and somehow Amelia finding happiness could be connected to Calum having his heart broken.   
Calum was the only one that felt like talking. “How do you two know each other? Is Ammy one of your trainees? Ammy please tell me that this doesn’t have anything to do with Annie leaving me. Tell me that you didn’t introduce him to Ashton.”  
_Woah._ “What on earth would be wrong with her knowing me?” He hadn’t realised that he made such a bad impression on Calum. But why would he have come back if not to tell him that he’d changed his mind, _again._  
“You out of all people could have helped her discover that she doesn’t like dick anymore.” Calum put it as simply as he thought it was.   
“That sounds awfully ugly.” Amelia told him. “It’s not that she doesn’t like it.”  
“Oh so it’s just mine?” Calum seemed way too angry for this conversation.   
“Okay. Everyone calm down.” Ashton raised his voice. “Both of you sit down.” When only Amelia obliged, Ashton glared at Calum, “You too!”, and pointed to an armchair farther from Amelia. “Please Amelia, explain Calum why you came to me the first time. Was it about your best friend? Did I take you up for training for your best friend?”  
“Nope. It was about me only. I felt confused and Ashton helped me. It took me a lot to understand myself, but it was worth it.” She looked into Calum’s eyes while speaking but when she was finished, she turned her head gratefully towards Ashton. His dominant nature made him want to pet her head. But she wasn’t his in any way anymore. So he pulled himself a bit farther from her, but smiled her way anyway. “Not like it is your business Calum, but that’s it. I’m not here for Annie. I never was. I’m here for myself. And I suppose you are too. So instead of putting blame on Annie for what happened, think about what really happened and then get over it.” _Mean, mean little switch showing her dominant side._ Ashton wondered what had happened between Annie and Calum for real. “Thanks for everything, Ash. Once again.” She said standing up and winking his way when Calum couldn’t see her face. Then she walked away without saying anything else to Calum.

Ashton waited a little, watching Calum, wondering if he’d begin talking. He didn’t do that. “Here  is your turn to show your cards, Calum.”  
“One time I cheated on Annie. With a guy. One of my best friends.” Just like that Calum for the first time did as he was told. If it had been a different situation, Ashton would have clapped in joy. “Does it change anything between us?”  
“Us? There is no us, Calum. There is you and me. You walked out that door.” He pointed towards it. “Also you forgot to mention you had some experience with a guy, and that you were a cheater.”  
He was sinking deeper in to the couch and Ashton could only hope it wasn’t going to swallow him. At least he was ashamed of what he had done. “That was, like last year.”  
He could tell that Calum felt awfully guilty. “Time doesn’t erase the fact that you did it anyway.”  
“I know. But we were happy. And then suddenly she just decided to leave me.”  
“She probably realized that she wasn’t happy with you anymore but instead of stabbing a knife in your back she told you straight away.” He made a tiny pause. “Oops, wrong choice of words.” Although he felt it quite right anyway. He grinned.   
“I knew that with that information about me you’d think less of me.” Casting down his eyes Calum said quietly.  
Ashton found that Calum had had enough crap going down for a day, so he gave him a break. “People make mistakes. Question is, have you learnt your lesson?”  
Hearing that, Calum enthusiastically raised his head. “Yes.”  
“Are you ready to find out what I’m offering for you or are you going to run away twenty times before you agree?”  
There was that shining light in his eyes that Ashton had seen before when Calum climaxed. “I only ran once. The first time you sent me away.”  
“There was an emergency.”   
“Was it her?”  
“It was.” There was no point to denying it now.   
“So what are we going to do?”  
“You leave me your address and phone number and I’ll call you when I decided what we are going to do.”  
“But I’m in on the program?”  
Ashton stood up and shoved his hand towards Calum signalling that he’d shake his hand. “This is no charity. But you are in.” And when Calum gave him his hand, Ashton gripped it strongly. _You’re not getting away now._ With Amelia in the picture, it was now even more important for Ashton to help Calum. He could not let him ruin it for those two girls. Plus, Ashton was always up to a tough assignment – this one definitely seemed like one.


	5. Chapter 5

A week, an entire freaking week had gone by till Ashton finally called Calum. Calum had nearly gone insane, thought that Ashton fooled him or just forgot about him. He’d tried going to the club a couple times and to his flat but in the club he wasn’t allowed. The person that had let him in earlier had been fired because the big guy found out that for extra cash he was letting in people that didn’t belong. Too bad that all those two hundreds were Calum’s only extra cash. Now he’d started thinking that he’d been an idiot to think that he could find someone fun there. Ashton turned out to be no fun at all. He had not called, he’d been a complete idiot and then he fucking came on his torso, and then again he became an idiot. Calum could not imagine what was going through Ashton’s head and honestly he did not even want to know it, really, he did not. The only thing he cared about was whether Ashton thought about him, ever.  
_What was I thinking going there?_ It was the stupidest thing he’d done in his life. He was desperate for some attention after being left, and thought that in the Club he’d get it. It proved to him that finding a partner there was harder than he’d guessed. Firstly because he’d known nobody there and secondly because he’d known nothing about what really was going on there. From what he’d heard he thought it was a bunch of people coming together for sex and some crazy shit he didn’t want to know existed.  
But thing is, the crazy shit excited him now that he saw it and that he got to know Ashton, even if it now looked even scarier than he’d ever pictured it.  
But now he didn’t have any more money saved, he couldn’t get into the club without Ashton. And Ashton was refusing to give any sign of interest anymore. _What the hell I do?_ He still wanted to find out more about BDSM. He had been looking it up on the internet and read a bunch of stuff on dominance and submissives. But now all he wanted was _do_ something.  
Whenever he went to Ashton’s place no one opened the door and one night when he was lingering around the Club he caught sight of Ashton leaving the building with a woman. It wasn’t Amelia, Calum was certain about it, but then who could it have been?  
So he decided that it was time to go back to his normal life for a while. He’d work and save some more money and try dating a few people, not necessarily only woman, and hope that he would have a chance to experience some of the crazy thing too somehow. Maybe next time he could just go to a less elite club, someplace where his kind was allowed in as well. _He always emphasized how it wasn’t for me. Ha, I’ll find what’s for me with or without you, asshole._ When he thought about that he fought the images about Ashton’s ass that had been haunting him. His ass, and his penis and his everything, because all of that bastard was all over his mind all the time.  
All of these plans were thrown into a trashcan in the very second that Ashton called him and Calum heard his voice through the line. “Calum.” His voice came through as very calm. It bothered Calum, a lot. “I’d like to see you tonight. I’ve got a contract ready for you and some plans as well. Be at my place at seven.”  
_Very formal invitation._ “What plans?”  
“You’ll find out soon enough. I’ll be expecting you at seven. Don’t be late.” And he hung up. For a second Calum was actually considering not even going there. But only for a brief second, really. Because the minute it clicked in his brain that he was going to see Ashton and nothing at all was a lost case yet, he was getting up from his dinner table and running to the bedroom to pick out what to wear to look somewhat like a person going to a date.

* * *

 

The building where Ashton lived was in the centre of town and Calum wondered if this time he’d be lucky enough to check out the view from his living room. As much as Calum could remember it had to have a pretty view at the city. Everything in this man screamed rich, Calum thought. Sometimes he was scared that this whole thing between them was some kind of joke. He’d assumed the worst things about this guy but when Amelia showed up, Calum knew that it couldn’t be so bad. Ammy was a very careful person and also great at figuring people out. She wouldn’t have gotten involved with Ashton if he’d been bad, not at all. So Calum wanted to trust Ashton. “Nice to see you.” Ashton greeted him. He’d made him wait though. It had taken Ashton about five minutes to open the door and he hadn’t even bothered calling out for patience whatsoever. _I came early._  
“Back at you.” Given his anxiety that was everything Calum could say, but that seemed to be enough for Ashton because he invited him in quickly. His jeans suddenly appeared a bit too tight on him though. The sight of Ashton gave him chills as well as a great wave of hotness. He was dressed casually in black pants and a button up of the same colour. He’d left the two most upper buttons undone, showing just a bit of what Calum had seen a couple days before. Giving a glance to his shoes, Calum noticed that the casual wear went pretty well with the formal one. Ashton’s polished back pair of foot wear looked very fancy to Calum. When he raised his eyes again he realised he’d been caught checking Ashton out. A bit of red flew to his face, Calum was aware of that because of the slight warm feeling on his cheeks. “You look very ... fascinating.”  
“Thank you.” Ashton smiled. They made it to the living room, and Calum noticed with disappointment that the curtains were drawn. “I’m glad we’re kind of matching in outfits. We’re going to go out. Black suits you well, Calum. Wear it as much around me as possible.”  
Unsure about what he should reply, Calum simply said, “Okay.”  
And he was immediately corrected. “You mean ‘Yes, Sir’. I’d like you to remember that one especially while we’re out.”  
“Yes, Sir.” Hoping to please Ashton, Calum said with much pride. Ashton nodded in appreciation. “Does this rule apply to whenever we’re out somewhere or just when we’re in the club?”  
“You’ll find that most of our time out will be spent in the Club. But I don’t expect you to call me Sir when we’re not there. It’s up to you.” Calum felt like he didn’t need to say anything to that and so Ashton went on speaking. “The fact that you showed up here tonight tells me that you have not changed your mind. I’m glad about it. You’ve probably been wondering why I was waiting for this long. It was part of my routine. I was curious to see if you’d been serious about wanting to try this.” _Oh that explains a lot._ “I can assure you that such plays of testing your patience and willingness are going to be essential parts of your training. Now I believe we can get started on the business.”  
There was a stack of papers on the coffee table in front of Ashton. It was just now that Calum noticed them. Ashton leaned forward to reach them and then handed the papers to Calum. “The contract.” He said.  
“Before we start I’d like to question you on a few things. Firstly, why does the lifestyle interest you and how did you find out that it interested you?” There was too much formality in Ashton’s voice. It was starting to annoy Calum, but he reminded himself that to Ashton this was plain business. _I am business._  
Earlier in the week he’d been debating what really interested him in BDSM at all but he couldn’t really find proper answers. “I found that it might be my thing when I stumbled into the Club. I didn’t know what kind of place it was. But ever since I know it, I want to find out more about it. I don’t know why. It might be because I’m looking for change after my other relationships.”  
“I can tell that you’re certainly looking for a change in gender. Do you not want to consider being with girls as well as guys? Can you imagine yourself topping a woman? Or are women completely off now?”  
_Topping a woman?_ He’d never thought about that. He couldn’t imagine trying to dominate a girl. “Right now, I don’t think I want to have anything to do with a woman. I’m not sure. Every one of my girlfriends were a disappointment.”  
“It might be just because you haven’t met the right one yet, but I accept your decision. We’ll get back to that part yet.” While Ashton was looking at another stack of papers that he had taken out of who knows where, Calum was thinking about what he just said, _we’ll get back to that part._ “I’ve been treating you as I would treat a submissive, because my first impression of you is that you’re naturally submissive. But if you would like to try the other part of the game we can do that too. Or if it turns out that I was wrong and you’re more of a dominant, we’ll find it out soon enough. Although I doubt that it would happen.”  
“That’s fine.” Oh it was serious stuff now. “Might I ask?”  
“Certainly.”  
“Am I going to have a chance at making ... friends while we’re at it?”  
“Friends?”  
“Yea, like you told me that emotions of that kind aren’t allowed between us, but is it okay for me to get involved with someone else?”  
“Of course. I think I’ve told you that the last time we met.”  
“You have. I just wanted to be sure. I mean I don’t know if I’m ready for someone new, but I could try.”  
“You could.” The discomfort on Ashton’s face was only slightly visible, but it was definitely there. “I can even set you up with a couple of people. It’s up to you. But you might take into consideration that not everyone will accept that I’m training you. If you’ll want to see someone they’ll likely want to take over your training. It doesn’t happen often in the circle of members, but it’s a possibility.”  
“Oh, okay. Thank you though.”  
“I thought that we’ll go through your limits with a little game that would also help you getting to know some of the most used toys and techniques.” Oh that excited Calum a lot. He was trying very hard not to picture any kind of gaming ahead of time because he did not want to embarrass himself with getting a hard on. “And we’re going to do that right now, before we head out. So you might relax and let your imagination flow.” There was a smirk on Ashton’s face now. Obviously this was really what got Ashton going. _The play. Dominance gives him pleasure. Apparently even thought of it puts him to joy._ “You’ll read this contract when you go home. Put it down here.” He placed his papers on one end of the table and Calum put his to the other end of it. “Right. And now undress yourself and kneel at the end of the table, facing those papers. I’ll be right back.” Ashton stood up with the grace of a king and started making his way towards the hallway that led to the room that Calum had slept in once. He must have noticed the hesitation. “Is there a problem? Do you not understand the order?” Asked Ashton glancing Calum’s way.  
“Not a problem, Sir.” Calum replied and got to his feet. This time Ashton did not take another step towards his destination until he made sure that Calum started following his orders. It took Calum a very small fracture of a minute to get rid of all of his clothing. He should have been nervous, but he really wasn’t. He was rather excited. And maybe a bit nervous after all, but he was fighting it. He was trying to focus on the good stuff. He was completely sure that Ashton would only do good things to him. _He won’t hurt me._ It was stupid of him, he thought, because he shouldn’t really trust an actual stranger but he did anyway. _He’s not a stranger._ “He is not a stranger.” Whispered Calum not noticing that Ashton had re-entered the living room.  
“Are you afraid of me, Calum?” Calum jumped a little at the unexpected sound. “Very well done. You should be afraid. This is another important thing to remember, Calum. Trust is a gift. You cannot give it to anyone, and cannot expect anyone to just throw it your way. It’s special. And I will make sure that you’re not going to regret giving me this gift, Calum.” When Calum turned his head to look at Ashton he saw that a playful smile was lifting Ashton’s lips up. “I must say that you’re looking very attractive kneeling there, but it’ll be even more beautiful if you just follow a couple of small rules.” He strode across the room to where Calum was kneeling.  
Still holding his gaze on Ashton, Calum couldn’t help asking, “Is there a rule for everything?”  
“Yes.” Ashton put it that simple. “For once, when you’re around a dominant you’re not to look directly into their eyes, mainly if they are not your dominants.” Calum quickly drew his eyes down and stared at Ashton’s shoes again. “Good. There’s a kneeling position that I prefer to see whether it’s a woman or a man bottoming for me. I’m only mentioning that just in case you’ll ever want to discover your dominant streak. What do you think, what could symbolize that you’re open and ready for what I as your dominant want to give you?”  
“I’m not sure, Sir.” He couldn’t think of anything but he didn’t want to say it that way.  
“It’s not something difficult, Calum. Your legs. It’s about your legs. How could tell me with your legs while kneeling, that you’re ready and that you’re mine?” That helped. Calum opened his legs. “Very well.” He didn’t realise that Ashton moved closer to him until he felt his hand on the back of his head. Ashton was petting him slowly. “Now, your hands.” Without taking his palm away from his head Ashton continued, “They’re behind your back right now. What made you put them there?”  
“I felt like this way, this way it was kind of as if I’m already yours, bound for you to do with me what you please.”  
“Oh you said it so nicely.” The warmth of Ashton’s hand wandered slowly to Calum’s neck. The palm of his hand rested there softly. “And that is actually an option. Dominants always train their submissives to their liking when it comes to such things. It varies between each Dom. What you are doing is a commonly accepted form, as well as the pose when your hands are displayed on your thighs with your palms up. It’s yet again a way for the submissive to signal that they’re ready and open for their dominant. I’ll let you decide on this one, Calum. Do you feel comfortable having your hands behind your back?”  
There was this nice soothing tone Ashton’s voice, Calum felt light listening to it. “Yes, I like it.” The answer came out of Calum’s mouth with a hasty breath.  
“Then this will be your way of greeting me, at all times when it comes to play. Are we clear?”  
“Yes, Sir.”  
Ashton let go of Calum then. “Great. Don’t forget to keep your eyes down and your back straight.” As if that was so easy. When Calum looked _down_ he found himself staring right at his growing erection. They hadn’t been far into play, done more than a little talking, but it was getting to Calum. He was kneeling naked on a soft furry rug in front of a man fully dressed and he loved every second of it so far. “The next step is choosing a safe word. Safe words are supposed to be such words that wouldn’t normally be said in a sexual act. This is a way of a party signalling that something has gone wrong and they’d like the scene to stop. You must remember that stop doesn’t mean stop here. Stop means keep going. Anything else but your safe word means keep going. Clear?”  
“Yes, Sir.”  
“Choose a safe word, Calum. Make sure that it’s something that you’ll remember at any time. “ Now what Calum could see from the corner of his eye was that Ashton was walking around in the room. If he bent his head down and carefully listened to his voice only he could make out the sound of every step he took. He could hear his own breathing, too. It was surprisingly calming not looking at Ashton directly.  
There was only one word Calum could think of, “Benefactor”, he said it out loud.  
“From this moment on, anytime you say that word we’ll stop doing whatever we’re doing and discuss the problem. We will not move on from the problem until it’s solved. I’ll do my best to only give you pleasure and lots of knowledge, Calum. I do not mean to cause you any harm, but it’s very important that you use that safe word if you don’t feel safe. I trust you that you’ll use it, Calum. Trust me that everything will be still fine if you use it. Using your safe word does not make you a coward, or any less of a person. Remember that.” He’d have to remember a lot of things, but Calum was positive that he was capable of everything. He wanted this. “Now I think that’s enough of words. Time for actions. I recall you enjoyed seeing me please myself, am I right?” Thinking of that, a chill went through Calum’s body, but his cock felt tighter, everything felt hotter.  
“Yes, correct.”  
Fancy shoes came into view, Ashton stood in front of him, probably looked down on him. “I keep wondering whether you’d just as much enjoy pleasing yourself while I’m watching.” Somehow, Calum could guess that this was coming. “Let’s find out.” Not bothering to ask whether Calum wanted to do it, Ashton decided for him. “I’m going to put a blindfold on you just to make it better.” A thin black fabric covered Calum’s eyes then. “Does that feel okay?” Calum nodded. “I want you to voice your thoughts at all times, mainly if I ask a question.”  
“It is okay, Sir.” He said then but he didn’t expect Ashton to wrap his hand around his cock so he jumped a little. “Oh.” When he realised what had happened, Calum relaxed and felt Ashton’s grip become a little tighter.  
“You have a beautiful cock, Calum. I’ve wanted to touch you for so long. But it’s not about what I want now.” The lack of Ashton’s hand bothered Calum. “Come on, stand up.” He helped him get to his feet and then led him to somewhere. “Lift your arms and spread your legs.” There wasn’t an ounce of hesitation in Calum, he simply did what he was told. Something cold came around his wrists. It felt like metal, and his arms remained above his head. Now he didn’t even have a chance at lowering them. There had to be some sort of suspension that he was now attached to. He felt the same coldness on his ankles. “For your information you look very nice like this.” On his neck, Calum felt Ashton’s breath. He stood behind him and his hand came around his cock again.  
“Thank you?” With some uncertainty Calum said.  
“You’re very welcome.” Too soon again, Ashton let go of his dick. “I need you to tell me now what it feels like to be bound.”  
_Fucking love it._ “I like it.”  
“I suppose you do.” Calum heard Ashton’s little laugh of mild amusement. “Suspension, or bondage of any form is a dangerous thing to play with. It’s very important that you do let me know if you’re feeling a kind of numbness or discomfort.”  
There was a pause, so Calum said, “I understand, Sir.”  
“Amazing. Here comes impact play. That term basically means any kind of act that involves a person hitting you with something. During such scenes always keep your safe word in mind. There are a couple of people who can take a whole lot of beating and there are some who can’t. And that’s fine that way. Calum, if we find that you’re enjoying impact play we’re going to explore your limits. I’ll always try to push you a little further and you must tell me if it’s too much. We can’t be doing anything that you can’t take. Do you understand that?”  
“Yes, Sir, I do.” He understood it very well and he couldn’t wait for something to happen.  
“The simplest and most commonly known impact play is spanking.” Calum heard footsteps when Ashton finished his sentence, and he remembered that last time in the Club when he had seen a man spanking his sub. He’d loved watching them. “But before we move on to that, I’ll take off your blindfold.” It was pulled off of his head and Calum was shocked to find out that he was facing the very window that he’d wanted to look out at. _Jesus._ The sight was gorgeous. The city below was lit as far as he could see. Ashton’s building overlooked many others. Through those huge windows anyone from the other buildings could see him now. “They can’t see you. It’s mirrored glass from the outside. I thought you might like looking down there.”  
“I do love it. It’s so pretty.”  
“It indeed is. I sometimes hate that I work on most nights and can barely afford myself to just stand here and watch.” There was a sort of longing in his voice. _Does he not like working in the Club?_  “I tell you what will happen now.” The window allowed Calum to see the reflection of Ashton taking a step back.  “I’ll spank your ass. This pretty, round, white ass is going to be red in no time, I can tell. And your cock is going to get hard and you’ll want nothing else but to touch yourself. Too bad you’re not able to do that now. And when I release your hands and you’ll grab your cock to make yourself come, I’ll be here, watching you. Do you like the thought of that, Calum?”  
“I do.” Calum replied quickly but immediately knew that he forgot something.  Ashton left no time for correction though. He quickly took up on the chance.  
He was expecting it, he thought he was prepared for when Ashton’s hand was going to meet his ass but he jumped when it happened. The smack caused a stinging sensation. “You do what?”  
“I do, Sir.” Hissing, Calum said. After that Ashton didn’t speak, and Calum lost count of how many smacks he’d been given. He stopped counting them because the need to touch his dick just kept growing and growing. Ashton had been right. He’d wanted nothing else but have a free hand to do the job. His cock was erect to its fullest when Calum noticed that there was silence in the room. There weren’t any more sounds of flash hitting flash. There was his heavy breathing and as he opened his eyes he was looking at Ashton’s reflection again. _When did I close my eyes?_ Ashton was smiling, admiring his work on Calum’s ass. Meanwhile Ashton was examining the effects of what he’d done, Calum’s breathing started become heavier. The spanking itself had stopped, but he just now began feeling the burning sensation on his skin. It made everything in him turn hot; he thought he was going to explode even before Ashton could release his hands.  
Suddenly, Ashton was kneeling behind him and he was puttering with the cuffs to release Calum’s ankles. It was then that Calum saw the long metal bar. On both ends of it were the cuffs attached to it and the cuffs were hugging his ankles. _So that was keeping me straddling._ Within seconds, Ashton was done with those and went to undo Calum’s hands. When the cuffs came off and it was time for Calum to lower his arms, they felt heavy. “Slowly.” Ashton instructed and carefully he helped Calum. As he did so they were face to face, and Calum was worried that the precum leaking from the head of his cock would stain Ashton’s pants, but as he looked down he saw that they weren’t that close at all. “Come on.” He was led to a long piece of furniture that had these waves in it. Calum could imagine that if he was to sit down on it he could lay back and rest his head, his legs would be slightly lifted upward while his butt would be in the lowest point of the chair. “Sit.” Oh it looked very comfortable, but it didn’t feel like it. The leather irritated his burning butt. “Now you can do it, Calum. Do what you wanted to be doing while I was hitting your ass with my hand.”  
At first he thought it was weird. But that thought went away quickly. He did not mind if it was weird. He needed release. His cock was throbbing. Ashton’s hungry gaze increased Calum’s motivation. He wet his palm by spitting on it and then he pumped his dick in a crazy pace. Some of the sounds that were leaving his mouth, Calum thought, did not sound human at all. But the effects of the spanking and the fact that Ashton was waiting for him to come, did quite new things to Calum. He’d never felt this good. He’d never be able to masturbate again without wanting to have his butt spanked. This night, he’ll remember this night forever. He was as certain about that as certain he was about the deep growling noise that Ashton made when he reached orgasm.  
“I think we can agree that you liked spanking.” Calum heard Ashton say, but he couldn’t look at him yet. He needed a few seconds to come off of his high. Ashton seemed to know that because he was quiet for a short time. Too quiet, and Calum was about to open his eyes and take a look whether Ashton was still present when there was his voice again, “This was briefly what I planned for tonight. Take a shower now.” _Okay._ Calum thought.  It was only a couple of seconds later that realisation hit Calum. _That was all?_ When he opened his eyes he didn’t see Ashton anywhere, but he could hear his voice from the kitchen. Calum decided to investigate. It was an easy thing, given his nakedness, he didn’t make a sound. “I understand, but I can’t do it tonight. I’m busy. This is my only day off this whole week, why do you feel like fucking me over?” There was that deep growling sound again but this time it wasn’t from pleasure, Calum knew it was anger. “Alright.” Then he hung up. As fast and quiet as he could Calum ran to the bathroom and wondered what that phone call had been about. He guessed that soon he’d find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was so much fun to write :D   
> School is back on from Monday so I'll be posting less frequently :(   
> Please stay with me, I'll try my best to write as much as I can!   
> love,  
> Lia


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And some serious stuff is being revealed now in this chapter...  
> I really hope all of you who read this are going to like it because this is the core of the story of Ashton and Calum ...

Something in Calum brought bad luck on Ashton. He’d had to start thinking that when he received bad news once again in Calum’s presence. He’d been planning this night with his new trainee for so long and of course something had to come fuck it up right in the ass. _Darcy was murdered. She was after you. You need to get the hell out of here._ Boss had told him in the phone five minutes ago and Ashton was still shaking. He had been lucky to notice that Calum was listening in. Ashton hoped to everything holy that Calum only had heard the end of the conversation which wasn’t really the end of the conversation at all. His boss had already cut off the call when Ashton spoke to the phone saying that he couldn’t do it tonight.   
_Darcy was murdered. She’d been a spy. After you... after you._ After him. How many times did he have to go through this yet? He’d been on the run for ever since his cover had been blown four years ago. At that time he worked in New York, in another club. He was supposed to keep an eye on an important member who was also a serial killer murdering dominants all over the world. That person was associated with eleven people’s death. And someone, some bloody dumb agent from a federal investigation company had blown Ashton’s cover to nothing. The person Ashton had been sent after ran off, but had to stay in hiding because Ashton gathered enough information about her. She was obviously not the kind to forget who’d gotten her into having to stay in a hidey-hole for all her life. But during these last couple of days he’d started to think that things would be fine. She was nowhere to be seen. Ashton had started to settle into a life.    
He’d thought he’d been safe. Ashton knew that he had to leave before everyone he cared about would be in danger. Darcy, the crazy waitress from Club had been murdered because she couldn’t complete her mission. She couldn’t get close to Ashton and so she was useless. If there was one there’d be others real soon. There could be more of them already just waiting for orders to turn against Ashton.   
“Is everything alright?” Calum stood in the door of the kitchen. He was naked. Ashton closed his eyes, trying to push out every thought of his mind that made him want to be with this guy all night and adore that beautiful body of his. It was obvious that Calum had taken a shower; Ashton could smell the freshness that filled the room when Calum appeared. There wasn’t any more of the smell of someone who’d just had a mind blowing orgasm. It was a smell of a clean person who wanted answers as to why his host of the night looked as if he might just be dying on the kitchen table.   
_I can’t do this anymore. Truth. I need to tell it to him and if he believes me he’ll understand that he can’t see me anymore. If I don’t tell him he’ll keep coming around and get himself killed._ “Nothing is alright. Put on a robe. I need to tell you some things.”   
If there was any desire in Calum to ask questions right there, Ashton couldn’t see it. Calum simply did as he was told. Soon he was back and Ashton stared at him blankly when he took the seat opposite him. How was someone supposed to speak about this?  
He decided it was the best to just get started. “I work for a special organization. Our leaders are men and women who’ve been through some serious things and have power to change some other things in the world. Some of us were soldiers; some have never seen a war, but all of us went through special training in order to be agents of this organization. We’ve been chosen to do this. We’re aiming to do a better job at keeping the world a safe place than what police and all those known agencies everywhere in the world do.   
Years ago I got into this operation, I had to go undercover. I was put into a BDSM club in NYC because they’d found traces about a woman that led there. This woman had been killing dominant males in several countries. The feds couldn’t even link two of the murders. They had no idea what really was going on. They only started looking into it when one of them was killed. They fucked up my op. The woman got away and I had to get away too otherwise either the feds or that crazy bitch would come after me. Now someone has come after me. They have found me. I have two choices. I either stay here to wait for things to work out which would be stupid idea if I want to live, but I could also run away again. Start a new life somewhere else. I don’t know what to do.”  
“If you went, I could never see you again.” Calum said making Ashton question his own hearing.   
“What did you say?”  
“I said if you went I could ne....”  
“You’re not even going to assume I’m a lunatic making all that up?” He interrupted Calum. Something was not right here. Calum was supposed to tell him that he was an idiot and making things up and what not. “You’re just going to worry if I leave you’ll never see me again?”  
Calum nodded. “I think yes.”  
“Who the hell are you?” This was suspicious. This had been so freaking suspicious for Ashton ever since he’d met Calum. “Who are you? What do you know about me?”  
In defence of himself, Calum raised his hands. “Calm your tits. I’ve been undercover like you. I’m supposed to watch over you until someone shows up to take you out. Looks like it happened sooner than they had expected.” The calmness and confidence that Calum spoke with was unfamiliar to Ashton.   
“Who the hell sent you?” He whispered. He couldn’t believe that he’d let this man into his life. What was he on to? Hell knew.   
“I’m a good guy, alright?”   
The blood in Ashton’s veins seemed to flow so rapidly, Ashton could nearly sense it reaching his brain and the anger grew.  “Not fucking alright!” He jumped up from the table and backed to the cupboards. From one of the drawers he pulled out a gun. “What do you want?”  
“I’m armless you idiot. You watched me take all my clothes off an hour ago. Did you see a weapon of any kind on my naked skin?”  
“You could have hidden here something the last time you were over or the time before that!” Ashton shouted. “What is your job?”   
With the chill of someone who was just talking to his best friend about the match on TV from last night, Calum sat at the table and spoke slowly. “Watching. I had to keep an eye on you. I had to get involved in what kinds of things you do. I had to learn about you. I had to find out whether you turned as some people at the agency thought. I’m not the one with the gun. I’m just a regular person, watching. Guns are for others.”   
There was no point to this. “Why?”  
“Because your people don’t want you to die, dumbass. If there’s any danger I need to make sure that the right people know about it and take care of it. And if everything would have gone well you wouldn’t even know for a while yet that you were in danger. But I think your boss is not really the person he says he is and he’s helping you, right? He didn’t know that for your protection you shouldn’t be informed about the happenings yet. Agency’s found some stuff. They know where this bitch is.”  
“Do they?” If they really did know about her whereabouts they wouldn’t tell Ashton. He knew that well. They were afraid that he’d fuck it up again. Although it hadn’t been his fault the first time either, the blame was on him anyway.   
“They do. But things are being hectic because we’ve got a new head. Wouldn’t let you come back on, insists on the ‘You endanger the corporation blah blah blah’ shit. So we’ve been just watching over you waiting for the right time. When enough evidence would pile up that the bitch’s men are after you, that you’re not involved with her, we could bring you back. We were afraid of you getting away  or tricking us though so we thought it’d be best not telling you.”  
“I don’t want to run anymore. And I’m definitely not working with her! That was just the feds’ bullshit because one of their own IS working with them but they can’t find him or they don’t even want to. Someone needs to be punished and if they can’t find the right one they’ll just want to put someone in jail doesn’t matter who it is!” Ashton threw the gun back to its place and sank to the floor, his back against the fridge. Calum came to sit next to him. “I know I can’t go back to the corporation. They didn’t disavow me completely only because the feds couldn’t make up enough evidence against me or because they couldn’t find me or both.  I need to do this alone or other people are going to be in danger. Whoever the new head is, he’s right about that.”  
“Oh it’s a woman. Don’t even get me started on it.” While making a gagging noise, Calum’s face transformed into an ugly expression but Ashton kind of liked it.  
He snorted. If anything was true about Calum, it was his growing dislike for women. “Was everything made up?”  
“Not everything. Actually it’s been pretty easy because most of what you know about me is true. Annie left me for real. When I found out that Amelia knew you I’d already been assigned to find you and learnt that you’re doing some strange thing but I didn’t know where. No one knew where I could find you and I didn’t want to bring attention to me by asking much about you. So I followed her to that place you work at and then I figured this is the only way I can get close to you. I couldn’t watch over you from outside the freaking club. I needed to get in. I didn’t really have a choice because the other guys thought it was too freaky. Though Annie leaving me was a good excuse for my desire to explore new stuff, it all fit very well. I had some cash I spent it on getting in and then I slipped. I was indeed fucking miserable about her breaking it off with me. I got drunk a bit and the guys thought that I was loser and wanted to send someone else in. They wanted to get me out before you’d write me off completely for being drunk on spotlight, but my man at the club wouldn’t let anyone else in, but me. So it was all up to me. I wanted to prove that I could get to you. And then I just wanted to get to you anyway. I liked you. I was just unsure whether it was a good idea to get close to you sexually. And the guys weren’t really fond of the idea either. The original plan was to befriend you, but I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t just show up again and tell you I wanted to be your friend. I found it confusing that you were getting to me though. I was scared as fuck when you jumped at me and rubbed your body all over me. I almost gave up on the whole thing, but also I loved it. And that scared me even more. And then I realised that as confusing it was and as unprofessional it was, it was what I wanted. Some people still assume that you are a bad guy. You know they think you ran off because you got involved with her. I didn’t know what to think at first. But then... then I just decided that I’ll find out for myself whether you’re a good guy and maybe get my thing figured out as well. So I did deny some orders about not risking this op by putting my own shit on the line. But I think it’s worth it.”  
“So I’m being protected now or have you fucked it up?”  
“A bit of both. I might still have a chance at keeping my job if we manage to keep you alive and get her.”   
“So good for you.” Ashton eyed Calum with much suspicion but grinned anyway. “Since when does the corporation have its agents at such low budget? Who’s idea was it to send the ridiculously poor dude in an elite BDSM club?”   
“Since this new bitch boss. She won’t allow any kind of luxury for fuck’s sake I couldn’t get close to you because I didn’t have money. It was so hard to get in there. It was my idea by the way. Everyone else thought it was stupid.”  
“That’s ridiculous. But fair enough. They could put that money into use at much better places than mysterious BDSM clubs and possibly corrupt agents.”   
“I suppose if there’d have been some sort of emergency they’d have done anything to put someone in. But everything was calm until about a week ago. And the help hasn’t really arrived yet. I think that boss of ours is still second guessing whether it’s a good thing to save your ass. What did you do to her?”  
“I don’t even know her?” How would he? He’d left before the change happened. He’d left years ago.  
“I don’t know. I just thought there could be something because she’s enthusiastic about other ops and agents but not so much about you. Like she literally sent three of us here and that’s it. That was all she did for you even though you’ve got quite a big group of agents supporting you. This way she can’t say she didn’t do anything to save you and if anyone wanted her to do more she can defend herself with some bullshit about an order from above that never existed.”  
“It could be because I’m not an agent anymore. Not an active one. And what if there really is an order from above to not look for me? I’m out. I’m not important to them anymore.” That saddened Ashton more than the fact that he’d become a stripper and a Dom for an operation and he was both of those things to this day even though the operation was over. Sometimes he wanted to go back to the field, do his real job, and do what he’d been chosen to do a long time ago. But other times he liked being an ordinary human who didn’t risk lives with every decision he made. “On some days I miss it you know?”  
“I can imagine.”  
“No you can’t. Not until you’re forced to leave. You’ll never know till that happens. I couldn’t find my place since then. Even the normal stuff that normal people do seems to be not working for me. I can’t have a relationship, I can’t have a job. I can only have myself for as long as I have to hide.”  
“I understand it all now.” Calum said with sympathy in his voice. “If you make friends it’s easier for them to come after you. It’s easier for them to find you if you’re in the system. That’s why you’re stuck in that club, aren’t you?”  
“Partly. I kind of want to be there though. It’s really just that I miss the person I used to be.” He had helped people. He did something to make the world a better place.  
“I think you’re still that person. Some things have happened and you’ve changed, but it’s not necessarily a change for the worse. You are still a good person, I guess.”  
“Thanks.”  
“What are you going to do?”  
He needed a damn lot of time to figure that one out, Ashton thought. “Not sure. I need to stay. I don’t know who I can trust though. I really hope you’re not fooling me. You have no idea what I can do to you if I find out that you’re the bad guy.”   
“I’m with you, I swear.” There were his hands up again. Ashton liked it. He enjoyed the sight of a surrendering Calum. Oh the things he wanted to do to him. It wasn’t time for that now. He needed to make a plan.  “I don’t know about anyone else though. What about your boss in the club? Is he trustworthy?” The fact that Calum, an agency person couldn’t find out who his boss really was, relaxed Ashton.   
“He’s a friend of my mother. I owe him a lot for risking everything by taking me in all those years ago.”  
“Okay. Can you think of anyone else that we can involve?”  
“The less people know about it the more people are safe. You have to tell me what they found out about Missy.” That was her name. The woman who had put him here.   
“Actually we’ve heard that she’s feeling safe and ready to continue with her job.”  
He should have known sooner. This would be the only reason for anyone to start looking into it again. “She’s coming here, isn’t she?”  
“That’s what they say.” Calum shrugged. “She’ll remember you, Ashton. You’re putting your life to risk if you stay. There’s no way you can get out of this if she finds you.”  
“I need her to find me. She’s too smart; we can’t just set up a trap for her. But we need a plan. I can’t let her get away. I can’t let her kill more people.”  
“What if the feds come in again?”   
“Oh, I know quite a lot of people now Calum. I have some stuff against them. If they try to come after me I’ll release that shit and let it ruin them. It’d be the best though if in the meantime we could find the person at the feds who’s helping Missy.”  
“That could just get them even angrier.”  
“Or it could make them see who the real bad guy is.”  
“And what about Missy? She won’t just forget you. Whatever it takes for her she’ll get revenge. She has nothing to lose.”  
An idea started to form in Ashton’s mind. He couldn’t risk all those people at the club. It wasn’t possible that everyone around him was a bad guy. There could be one or two but there’s a great way of finding them. Ashton smiled. “I need to make an investment.”  
“What? It’s really not the best time to start a business.”  
“Oh yes it is. It is the best fucking time. I know how to get her to me.”  
“Ashton, if she comes here ... “  
“I need to catch her if she comes here. And there’s only one way for me to be in control of everything.”  
“Which is?”  
“Buying a BDSM club.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's a shorter chapter now for your enjoyment :D

Being around Ashton was less stressing now that they both had laid their cards out. Calum hadn’t thought things would escalate so quickly. He’d kind of hoped he could spend some time with Ashton before shit happened. Now he wasn’t sure what was going to happen and it saddened him. Firstly, he hated the idea that Ashton wanted to be an open target in order to catch Missy. Secondly, he wished that Ashton wouldn’t look so lost while he was thinking about his days back in service. And thirdly, Calum prayed that they’d still sign that contract. Certainly Missy wasn’t going to just show up the next day. Was she? For what Calum knew, she could be coming any second. But Calum believed it wasn’t going to go that way. They had to have some time yet to prepare. They had to.   
“Come on. It’s getting cold down here and you’re only wearing a robe.” Said Ashton standing up from the kitchen floor, which despite the expensive looking design of it, was indeed starting to feel quite cold. “You look lovely in it by the way.”  
“That’s the only look I go for.” With a sigh, Calum got to his feet as well. “I can’t believe you pointed a gun at me though. Like seriously? Did i look that frightening in this lovely robe?”  
A chuckle escaped Ashton’s throat. Calum didn’t tell him that he looked lovely as well, when angry and confused, but he did think about it anyway and wondered if Ashton ever looked anything else but lovely. Then he remembered the gun. Oh yes, that look he had put on his face while holding that gun towards Calum was not lovely. “You’ve not had enough training if you do not know how to hide a gun in a robe.” Ashton said. Calum only could catch a glimpse of what had to be a wink before Ashton turned around and headed out of the kitchen.  
When he noticed that Ashton comfortably spread across the couch in the living room, Calum frowned. What was he supposed to do now? Ashton seemed to be far away in his head. There was so much for him to think about. He was going to risk his life. Ashton didn’t need to tell Calum what kind of ideas had been running around in his mind, Calum knew. Whatever it would take, he wouldn’t let the murderer get away this time.   
So Calum thought it would be the best if he just let him think. He was almost reaching for his clothes to get dressed when he felt Ashton’s eyes on him. “What?”  
“What are you doing?”  
“Getting dressed and leaving so you can sort your thoughts out?”  
Puzzlement showed on Ashton’s face. “I don’t want to do that anymore tonight. We’ll have time to make plans tomorrow. Or the day after.”  
“You’re sure?”  
“Absolutely. She won’t just knock on my door tomorrow like ‘hey bitch I found you get in front of my gun’. I wish she did that. But honestly it would be too easy. And that’s the last thing I said about her today. Drop the robe and come here.”  
Blood suddenly seemed to rush towards Calum’s penis because he felt the excitement that Ashton caused with that one simple order. “Yes, Sir.” He did as he was told and it put a kind smile to Ashton’s face. “Make room for me?” Ashton didn’t move a finger though. He just stayed still and grinned. “Where am I supposed to sit if you’re taking up the place?” At that Ashton inched to the back of the couch. And then he turned on the TV, casually waiting for Calum to join him, his eyes stuck on the screen. There wasn’t anything left to do so Calum walked to the couch and facing the television he snuggled close to Ashton’s front.   
“There. That’s really nice.” A sigh hit Calum’s ear. Also a hand was caressing his head.   
“Why did I have to get naked?”  
“I like you naked.”  
“I’ll get a cold.”  
“You won’t.” A blanket appeared and Ashton put it across both of them. “Watch TV with me.”  
And Calum did just that. About three minutes into them watching television, Calum heard that Ashton dozed off, and soon after that Calum did the same.

There was a soft snoring noise that came from someone sleeping just beside him. Ashton opened his eyes and in his arms he found Calum. He remembered asking him to watch TV with him and then they had fallen asleep. Somehow during the night Calum had turned around and now he was facing Ashton. _It’s going to be so hard._ Calum had said that he truly wanted the training, and Ashton believed him, because the reactions he’d seen on Calum last night while they scened together weren’t fake at all. No one could fake that kind of thing. One either enjoyed being dominated or grossed out by the mere thought of it. Calum enjoyed it. Calum had so much to explore about this world and about himself as well. Was Ashton capable of giving his best to Calum while working on a very dangerous operation? The last time he’d tried to do it didn’t go well. His partner became bored of him and cheated on him with several people and the target escaped. _Missy. That mystery._ Back then everything seemed to be going well. He almost caught her. There was a great amount of evidence against her. Sometimes Ashton thought that there was too many of... “Stop staring.” Calum’s rather cute morning voice interrupted Ashton’s line of thought. “You know it’s scientifically proven that a person cannot sleep when they’re being stared at.”  
“Oh sorry Mister scientifically sleepy head.” _God. Stop thinking about kissing him._ “It’s like nine. Get up and do something productive. Like breakfast. I’m starving. Can you make breakfast?”  
“I’m not your maid.” Calum looked offended and got up. His cock was semi hard; oh Ashton had felt it against his thigh. Fortunately, he didn’t seem bothered to stand in front of Ashton like that.  
Ashton sat up. “I know you aren’t. I’ve got a maid actually.”  
“Of course you do.” Shrugging, Calum turned around and showed Ashton his gorgeously round butt this time. It started to feel like Calum was throwing a fit on purpose. “Like you have everything! Did the agency pay you so well or you robbed a bank or does this all come from the club for real?”  
“Oh don’t ask me that question, like ever. It’s better for you I promise.”   
“You’re playing the big bad ass criminal now? I bet it’s from a rich uncle or something.” There was nothing to say to that. Calum was kind of right. He didn’t need to know that though.   
“I recall I asked you if you could make breakfast but you didn’t let me finish. If you make breakfast I’ll reward you with something.”  
“Like what? Am I your pet now?”  
_Seriously?_ Ashton rolled his eyes. “Have you forgotten that you’re my _sub_?”   
The natural instinct in Calum worked well, he bent his head and stared at his feet. “Sorry, I... I haven’t. I’ll make breakfast.” He began to move.   
Quickly pushing himself to his feet, Ashton said, “Calum, stop.” and caught Calum’s hand. “I was just testing your limits; don’t be pissed at me for nothing. We need to find the boundaries so we’ll know how far we can go. It’s for both of our benefit, got it?”  
“Yea, sure.” Avoiding Ashton’s eyes, Calum murmured.   
“Some people like being ordered around outside of the bedroom. Some don’t. And that’s okay.” He squeezed Calum’s hand. “Let’s make breakfast together?”   
“I still get a reward though, do I?”   
“Definitely.” The usual sparks of his enthusiasm appeared in Calum’s eyes, and Ashton’s heart softened. _Gosh, what do you do to me, Calum?_

The whole time of making and eating breakfast, Calum had to be completely naked. It only caused him a little discomfort when he thought about the fact that Ashton was aware of how hard he actually was. Otherwise, it was okay, and Ashton seemed to enjoy the situation a lot. Calum hadn’t a clear idea of why this was needed but it pleased Ashton so it was worth it, right? And it was really comfortable anyway.   
They were finished with putting away everything in the kitchen but Calum saw Ashton reach for a drawer and pull out a round-headed wooden spoon. Calum couldn’t think of anything that Ashton would want to use it now that they were done having breakfast. “I didn’t have a shower last night. So I’ll have one now quickly. I expect you to kneel at the foot of the bed you slept in on your first time here. Face the bed and do I have to say that you stay naked?”  
“Will do, Sir.” With that, Ashton left the kitchen, with the wooden spoon in his hand.   
Once Ashton was out, Calum drank a glass of water and decided to just head to the bedroom where Ashton wanted him to be at. When he entered his eyes immediately found the wooden spoon. It was placed on the bed. Calum knelt down just where he had to and this way he was facing the wooden spoon.   
Shortly, Calum got bored of kneeling, his knees hurt and his hands were behind his back so his arms were in pain as well. He was thinking about getting up and stretching. Ashton had said he was going to take a quick shower and Calum was pretty sure it had been at least fifteen minutes that he was waiting. Then he changed his mind. _I can take a little more._ Several minutes had gone by and Ashton was still nowhere to be seen. Calum was not only in pain from the position but worried about where Ashton could be. So he got to his feet.   
Unfortunately, Ashton chose that very second to enter the room. The expression on his face was displeasing. “I’m sorry I got up!” He tried saving what was left to save. “I was worried where you were.”  
His expression did not change. He did not speak.   
“I disobeyed. I’m sorry, Sir.” _What else do I have to say, goddamnit!_ Ashton remained quiet. Calum’s eyes drifted to the wooden spoon. _Shit, he did this on purpose._ “I’m ready for punishment if you think I require it, Sir.”  
“Oh you do.” _The fucker._ He’d planned it all, Calum realised now. _He made me ask for punishment. Fuck!_ “Get on the bed. On your front. Arms above your head.” Calum followed every order with precise care. His heart was pounding in his chest. He didn’t like not seeing where Ashton was or what he was doing. Suddenly Calum felt cold hands wrapping around his ankles. Ashton pulled him lower on the bed, so now from mid-thigh Calum’s legs were dangling off the bed. From the corner of his eyes he noticed when Ashton picked up the tool that he’d brought here from the kitchen. “I think it’s time to widen your experience in impact play.” There wasn’t a question so Calum did not say anything to that, although Ashton paused as if giving Calum time to consider the idea of ‘widening his experiences’. “Do you remember your safe word, Calum?”  
“I do.” His voice was shaking.   
“Good. Use it when you need it.” Ashton spoke with confidence like he knew that Calum was going to need the safe word. “Do you have any idea how gorgeous your body is? Are you aware that I love looking at you, Calum? Do you know that I love seeing your cock getting harder and harder and seeing your face when you realise that I’m watching and that I enjoy your discomfort?” Something met Calum’s butt. It wasn’t the spoon, Calum realised. It was Ashton’s hand. And it spread a nice, warm feeling across his skin. Quickly, Ashton repeated the movement on the other cheek of Calum’s ass. Calum allowed himself a little moan. “Do you know how happy I am that you weren’t kneeling when I came in?” His hand hit Calum more times. Calum didn’t bother counting, he got lost in the sensation that the slaps were igniting. There weren’t tiny pauses between the smacks like last time. They came in a very long row. At some point Calum thought that Ashton could go on like this for a very long time and that kind of scared him; but the idea that when he’d stop the spanking he’d change to the wooden spoon frightened him more. And when eventually there was a break, it lasted for several seconds. During that time Ashton was speaking again, waking false hope in Calum that it was over now. “You know punishment can be a lot of fun. This, this Calum is fun.” He continued and with every smack he hit harder. “But you have to learn that disobeying is not fun at all. It displeases your dom. It should displease you too. It’ll only displease you if you’re punished for not following orders. Otherwise you’ll just do it again and again. Important that you remember that if you want to be punished you have to ask for it. You do not manipulate your dominant into punishing you. You simply ask.” _Ask._ His skin burned but he was trying to remember every word that Ashton was saying. “You’ll find that you enjoy certain types of punishment. What do you do when you want to receive a punishment?”  
“I ask for it.”  
And then, Ashton stopped. Calum realised just then that the burning feeling was now worse. “Very well.” _Gosh,_ he needed more. He wanted the burning to go away. It’d go away if Ashton just continued.   
“Please. More.” Surprised to hear his own voice so hoarse, Calum moaned.   
“More what?” Those cold hands of Ashton’s were now caressing Calum’s ass cheeks. They felt nice. But only for a second. After that it kept feeling like his whole butt was on fire.   
“I need more, Sir. Please.”  
“As you wish.” And just like that Calum’s skin got to know the wooden spoon. It hurt way worse than Ashton’s hand. The pain was centered in a smaller area and Calum jumped by the sudden new sensation. But then, the warmth came again. And just before it’d have dissolved into nothingness, there was another blow... and another... and another... and many more.   
He didn’t know when it ended. He didn’t know when Ashton had started spreading some cool liquid on his back side. He just focused on _feeling._ Every little nerve ending in him was alive. It all started from his butt, and it travelled round and round in his whole body; it was so soothing, it made Calum lightheaded and very, very relaxed. He hadn’t reached an orgasm, he hadn’t penetrated anyone, he hadn’t been penetrated by anyone, and he hadn’t even seen his partner’s face for most of the time of the action. He didn’t think he’d need any of those things now. It felt so good this way. Calum couldn’t think of any big words to describe the feeling. He hadn’t felt like flying whatsoever. But there was this overwhelming calmness, and he couldn’t open his eyes, he wanted to get lost in the darkness, stay this way for as long as he could.   
And it seemed like Ashton wasn’t rushing him at all. “Hey, hey, sleeping beauty.” He was grinning. Calum had his eyes shut but he was absolutely certain that Ashton was grinning. “Are you with me?”  
With a long sigh, Calum replied, “Yes.”   
“Good.” He spoke quietly, almost whispering. “I was afraid I’d taken it a bit too far.”  
“You hadn’t.” Opening his eyes, Calum noticed that Ashton was sitting on the bed, near to where Calum’s head was. “It was perfect.”  
“I’m glad.” Then Ashton turned his head toward the window. To Calum it seemed like it was midday, but the strong sunshine kind of hurt his eyes so he drew his gaze back from the view of outside. He caught sight of Ashton’s bulging black pants. “You have this habit of staring at my crotch, are you aware of it?”  
He quickly looked away. “I’m sorry.”  
“Don’t be.” Rising from his seat, Ashton smiled. “I enjoy watching you longing for me.”  
“I bet you do.” Calum smirked Ashton’s way.   
“Come on. You’ve got a contract to sign before we go any further.” He was out the door before Calum could have said anything. _Not having sex with each other is going to kill us both._


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another shorter chapter! Your kind words and kudos are appreciated, thank you so much to everyone. I love you!

_The dominant and his submissive agree that they may get involved in sexual activities that require different devices and equipment for sexual pleasures.  
The submissive agrees to the continuous discovery of his limits with the help of his dominant. The dominant accepts that the submissive is not aware of these limits yet. Both parties agree that during the process of this learning curve they’re going to keep this contract up to date.   
_ There were a few pages of writing; the words were flowing into Calum’s mind with rapid pace. Some places were left empty, such as the one for the limits and another one that was for behaviour rules outside of ‘bedroom’.   
When he got to the very end of it, Calum couldn’t help but read the second to last sentence over and over again until he was certain that what he seemed to read there was indeed written there. _The dominant and the submissive may also participate in activities that require sexual intercourse._ And there was another sentence after it in brackets. _Some types of these activities may be listed among the submissive’s limits, and therefore this part of the contract needs negotiation as well during the training._ “This last paragraph...”  Calum stammered.   
“I added that part while you were supposed to be waiting for me kneeling in the bedroom.”  
“Why did you add it though? And what does this really mean?”  
“Basically it means that we will have sex if you’d like. But I haven’t written down what sex could be for us because we’re going to have to find that out. Actually, if you can think of anything that you’d rather not do, then tell me now and we’ll put it in there.”  
“I’m alright. I’d like to try everything.”  
“I bet you would.” Ashton crossed his arms in front of his chest. “As to why I did it is because I realised that I might not live long now. I can’t leave this world without having some good sex first.”  
“Don’t say that.” Ashton just shrugged and stared at the papers in Calum’s hands. “Don’t say that for it makes me sad. And don’t say that because it’s not decided yet. No one says that you’ll certainly come out of this operation dead. We’ll fight this war and we come out alive. That’s how you think, okay?”  
“But ... “  
“No buts!” If there was one thing Calum hated, it was pessimist people. “If all of us were thinking like that we could be like oh my god I might get hit by a bus tomorrow or a plane could fall on me whatsoever what if I die? No. You’ll live. You can’t be like that. It’ll just put you in a bad state of mind. Think positively and good things will happen.”  
A ghost of a smile appeared on Ashton’s face. “I was thinking positively when writing that contract. I was hoping you’ll sign it. I am waiting for the good thing to happen.”   
Then Calum took the pen from the middle of the table where Ashton had placed it, and signed the contract. He was now Ashton’s submissive, for real.   
“Amazing.” Yea, that wasn’t really how Calum felt. It was more like anxiety. “Or not? What’s that expression on your face?”  
“I’m just scared.” He admitted.  
“Of me?”  
“No. I’m just... not sure. What’s going to happen now?”  
“We’re going to the club because I need to speak to my boss. But if you need to tell me something you can do it now, we have time.” After unfolding his arms, Ashton leaned closer to Calum. His eyes were painfully examining Calum’s face. Ashton had this special gaze that made you feel like he was looking into your soul. “There’s something you didn’t like in today’s session? Or in yesterday’s?” When Calum shook his head, Ashton continued his inquiry, “It’s going to be like that, but even better. I’ll take care of you Calum. It’s in that contract, I have to and I want to make you feel good about yourself.”  
“Okay. Everything’s okay. So to the club now, right? I should get dressed.”  
“Oh yes. You should. And if things work out well, we’ll come home quickly. We have things to do.” He winked at Calum and then got up from the table. “We’ll also stop by your place to pick up some of your stuff. You’ll live with me for a while.”  
“I will?”  
“Yes.” Calum recalled it was somewhere in the contract. There was no time to go back to thinking about the contract, because Ashton was already on to the next thing, “Don’t you happen to know someone from the feds?”  
“I do but I don’t know if we can trust them.”  
“That doesn’t matter. I just need a couple of people to let us know when something happens. If we hear the same things from different places we have a better chance that it’s not just a rumour. Agency’s still standing back?”  
“I’m not sure, I guess. Perhaps they don’t want to get involved in this again, after what happened four years ago. I think they’ll help us with what they can, but it is the best if we don’t expect a lot. You know what it’s like. We can’t really run an operation without their approval, and they usually only approve of what they like. For someone like Missy, I don’t know. If she was a senator or some dick head up there among the mighty ones, we’d have a chance but she’s a little thing.”  
“I know. You have little say in what you do. We need to find a few contacts in the right places. The rest we’re going to do alone. I have the money. I trust you. Find someone at the feds, someone good. Missy is not just a little thing. Whatever the Agency says she’s a big thing. We need to remember that before going after her again. So find the right person, alright?”  
“Will do, Sir.” At that, in his usual way, Ashton grinned.   
“We’re leaving in ten minutes. Get dressed and meet me at the door. I’ll call the bank.”

* * *

 

 _What did I do, Jesus Christ?_ He should have been worried about a woman who was coming to kill him, but all Ashton could think about was Calum. While he’d been showering earlier he considered the idea of giving Calum everything he deserved and within a brief minute he decided. When he got out of the shower he added those last two sentences and hoped that it’d make Calum happy. Ashton was sure that at this point Calum could just decide to quit the BDSM training because training or no training, they’d be seeing each other often in order to catch Missy. The fact that Calum had not retreated, not even when he included sex in their contract, Ashton knew that he really wanted this. Knowing that was pleasing to Ashton.   
The conversation he’d just had with the bank operator was less pleasing though. Transferring so much money apparently was a pain in the ass, not the kind Ashton liked. “Hey, are you okay?” A dressed Calum swayed into the room, worry on his face.  
“Yea, fine. Just stupid bank people.” He slid his phone into his pocket. “Let’s go.”  

“Get in the car and unbutton your jeans, then fasten your seatbelt.”   
“Okay. Wait what?” Calum looked just as puzzled as Ashton had expected. He’d been thinking how they could do something fun during the drive that would give another clue of what Calum was willing to do and what not. For a second Ashton thought that Calum wasn’t going to do it, but then he quickly got in the car and did it. He actually did it. Calum was sitting on the passenger seat, his jeans undone.   
Ashton suppressed a laugh when he caught a glimpse of Calum’s pubic hair. “Where did you leave your underwear?” Ashton himself had hidden it from Calum.   
“Just keep on acting like you don’t know where _I left_ them and I’ll just sit here while you do that.” The way he said that was very amusing to Ashton. _Oh it’s gonna be a fun ride._ “So what do I do?” Ashton got in the car as well and ignited the engine; he pretended to not have heard Calum, but from the corner of his eye he could see that Calum was staring down at his crotch and his cheeks were slowly becoming pink.   
There was quite big traffic at this hour. _Such a fun time to play._ From what Ashton had found out about Calum so far, he knew that Calum was not an impatient one. He waited and waited without a word. As if he knew that Ashton was going to tell him his plans when he wanted to. If he kept that good behaviour up, Ashton was going to have loads of rewarding to do. He did like that thought though. “I want you to recall the treatment you received this morning. Can you do that?”  
“Oh can I? Let’s see.” Calum squirmed in his seat. “Yes, of course I can! My butt is still aching!”  
“As it should be. Next time you’ll kneel as long as you have to.”  
“I will, Sir.”   
“See that you do. And now tell me did the spanking turn you on? Did you want to come?”  
“It did, I did. At first. I mean it was there the whole time, I could feel it, I wanted it, but as we were getting towards the end I knew that I wasn’t going to come, and it was still awesome. It made me feel something very different, something very nice.”  
“I’m happy to hear that. Now, here’s your chance to come though. Grab your dick and make yourself come right here and now.”  
“Here?” Calum looked around. Cars were passing by on every side, and the windows were regular windows, anyone could see through.   
“They won’t see you. Most of them won’t. And if they happen to see you, Calum, give them a good show.” There was some hesitation in Calum, Ashton could tell. But his growing erection gave him away. The idea and the ache in his ass excited Calum. “This is not a reward, Calum. This is just a bit of an experiment. But you will get that reward I promised you earlier.” His eyes lit up, and his right hand moved to his crotch, Calum pulled his cock out. “I’ve got lube in the glove compartment.” With his left hand Calum reached for that and squinted some of the liquid on his dick. “Yes, like that. Calum think of me spanking your pretty ass again and then sucking your cock.”  
“Jesus, you would do that?” Calum moaned.  
“Of course I will, if you will let me.” He’d been dreaming about it since he first saw Calum naked.  
It seemed to give Calum extraordinary joy and he fisted his cock in a vigorous pace. “Hell yes.”   
The closer he was getting himself to orgasm, the harder it was for Ashton to focus on driving. Calum had shut his eyes at some point, Ashton didn’t know when. His breathing was becoming irregular and the hold he had on his cock looked very freaking tight. He was going to come. _Fuck, shit, wait.  
_ He was glad that he was driving fast; they were near to the area of where the club was situated. The traffic here was better, way better; right then the street was actually empty. Ashton pulled the car to the side of the road and unfastened his seatbelt.

Calum looked up, his hand still on his cock, noticing that the car had stopped, “What...” He began asking what he was doing, but Ashton drowned the words into him by wrapping his lips around the head of his glistening cock. “Jesus, fuck!” He threw his head back against the head rest but he had no idea what to do with his hands so he just held them up, unable to believe what was happening. There wasn’t a lot of time for him to wonder about it though, because Ashton was fast on taking as much of Calum into his mouth as he could. When Calum felt the back of Ashton’s throat meeting the head of his dick, he knew he was going to lose it. While Ashton’s head moved up and down, Calum watched amazed by his skills and shortly he began coming. This man was so much; Calum knew that he wasn’t going to give him a break, like ever. Waste Calum noticed when Ashton’s settled back into his seat that there wasn’t a drop of his cum that had gone to “That was awesome.”   
“I couldn’t help myself.” Despite the fact that he’d just swallowed Calum’s come, Ashton looked completely casual and well composed. And then he started the car again. “You can pack yourself in now.”  
Seeing that they were getting close to the club, Calum sighed. The weather was pretty nice today. The sun was still up on the sky, and the warmth of it felt soothing. It reminded Calum of the wooden spoon. “What did you learn from this experience?” He asked Ashton.  
“That you’re comfortable with yourself even if you could be caught. And that you taste very nice.” That was a good enough answer for Calum; for the rest of the drive they didn’t exchange a word.

* * *

 

At this hour the club was always closed. The only people that were allowed to be there now were some of the staff and Boss. Ashton noticed an unfamiliar car parking in the lot and wonder what its owner could be doing here. Staff and Boss weren’t riding such cars, _what the hell._ “Is something wrong?” Calum probably caught sight of Ashton frowning at the vehicle as they made their way towards the building.  
“I wonder what guests we’re having.”  
Following Ashton’s gaze, Calum frowned too. “That looks like ... no it can’t be.”  
“What were you going to say?”  
“That it looks like one of my friend’s car.”  
“Friend?” Ashton did his best to raise an eyebrow. “What kind of friend?”  
Ashton watched Calum rush to enter the club. “We can find out fast.”  It didn’t surprise Ashton that Calum knew where he needed to go. He was heading straight towards Boss’s office, but he stopped in front of the door. “Sorry, this is your place. Go ahead.”  
"Thanks.” Without knocking, Ashton opened the door. There was his Boss talking to a stranger. “Good day. Who’s this?” Politeness first, questions after that.  
“Ash, this man here is from the federals.” Said Boss, rising from his chair when he saw Calum. “What’s he doing here?”  
“He’s agency.” He glanced down at the blond men. He was tall, Ashton could tell by the way he was sitting in the leather chair. “And what are you doing here? Calum, you already went through with what I asked?”  
“Nope. But I know this guy.” Calum and the fed guy eyed each other and suddenly the blonde was on his feet and went to hug Calum. “Luke, Luke, my friend, what are you doing here?” _Friend?_ Ashton did not like the way Calum was embracing the dude.   
“I asked you a question, blondie. Get your hands off of Calum and explain.” When they let go of each other, _blondie,_ Luke, whatever, gave Calum a look that Ashton could not understand. “I’m waiting.”  
“I’ve come because I heard that you’re working on the Missy case. I have information, and I’d like to ask you to let me join you.” Said blondie.  
 _Now that’s what I call a surprise._ “I’m all ears.”

 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is mention of prostitution in this chapter. If you feel disturbed by such topics, I'm sorry :(

_Missy Roberts is dead._ That was the first thing Luke said, shocking Ashton and Calum as well. Many questions floated in the air now. Who would kill her? Why would they kill her? How would they kill her? And most importantly, everything was going to be fine now that she’s dead?   
“What do you mean she’s dead?” Ashton asked what perhaps sounded like the stupidest question, but the people in the room knew damn well that it wasn’t at all stupid. “Did she fake her death? Have your idiot friends taken her into some witness programme?”  
“No, she is actually dead. Interrogation is finished so everything is going to be public about it very soon. Thing is, I’m guessing that this interrogation was fake.” Luke was holding Ashton’s gaze without a break. It had started to bother Ashton at some point; it felt weird to have this random guy stare at him so wildly. “A couple of weeks ago a special group was formed. Their purpose was to find Missy Roberts before she returns and attempts more murders. I found out that they literally hunted the woman down.”  
“Do you want me to be sorry for her death?” Anger was rising in Ashton although he hadn’t heard half of the story yet. “What is it you want from me? Should I send flowers to her funeral? She murdered eleven people!”  
That was when Luke shocked them again. “She did not do such thing.”   
“There was evidence, a whole lot.” Calum said.  
“All of them were created by someone way above me. I suppose this person is behind the murders, or knows the truth at least. And I’m pretty sure that this group that was sent after her to catch her was made on his command. They’d spread rumours about her return so they could hunt her down and she accidentally died in the process. Truth is she was indeed about to come back, but not because she wanted to continue the killings. She wanted to talk about the real murderer. Whether it was the chief or someone’s using him as well as Missy was used, I don’t know.”  
“That can’t be true.” If it was true then in NYC Ashton had been made a fool of. He was set up for a trap. The federals had been after him ever since Missy’s disappearance. If a federal was behind all of it, it meant that he made damn sure that someone else would be caught for his murders. It was either Missy or Ashton. Since Missy escaped, there was Ashton left to blame. “Missy sent this woman after me, Darcy. She was aiming to kill me.”  
“She was sent by Missy indeed. But it was only because she wanted to arrange a meeting between you and Missy. She wanted to tell you everything about the real murderer. She was pulled into the whole thing, she had no escape.”  
“She was guilty regardless of what part she had in the killings. She associated murders.” Yet again, Calum spoke. For sure, he hoped too that none of this was true. Missy’s death did not make anything easy. Now their only target was off the face of Earth, they’d have no idea who to search for.  
“Yes, but she didn’t do the killings. Anyway, I think now that they’ve gotten rid of Missy, they’re going to come after you.” Luke was still only looking at Ashton. “They think you’re the only one who will care to put the pieces together if even after Missy’s death there’ll be more killings.” Ashton had been the only one to draw lines between the murders. He was the one who discovered there was a serial killer in the first place. Of course they’d try to stop him.   
“She wanted to come out with whatever she knew because the killer wanted to start again, right?” There wasn’t any point of denying it now. Everything that Luke was saying completely made sense if he thought about it. Ashton took a deep breath when Luke nodded. “But now we’re back to knowing nothing. We don’t even know who we’re looking for!”  
“We really don’t. He’ll find someone new that he can force his games on. Missy was a woman with a bunch of problems, alcohol, drugs, parents dead, no living relatives, death of child. I’m pretty sure it won’t take him a lot of time to promise a good life for someone that broken and then use her for the murders.”   
“Okay.” Calum stood and began walking up and down the room. “We actually do know quite a lot. We know everything about all those men that were murdered. Surely there’s a pattern to the killings. Serial killers always have a pattern, they have a way of finding their victims and the victims always have something in common.”  
“Calum,” Ashton sighed, “We looked into every detail back then and couldn’t find anything.”  
“Then we must look again! We have Luke now. He might be able to find some stuff that Agency couldn’t find. The federals came into the picture because someone discovered something and the guy behind the whole thing wanted to blow shit.”   
Then Ashton turned towards Luke. He had his eyes down this time. “The last man was a federal. When I was accused of assisting Missy, the feds came in because one of them fell pray too. They accused me of killing him because he had found evidence against me!” Rage filled Ashton, “Tell us what you haven’t yet, Hemmings!”  
“That last man was my friend. I think he was killed because he knew something. He knew something and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t about you. It was just made up as if he’d have found something about you. But it wasn’t about you.” When Ashton caught sight of Luke’s eyes again, he could see the pain in there. That man had to be a very important friend to Luke.  
“You know who it is.” Ashton whispered. “Is he the murderer or is he just working for him?”  
“I don’t know what part he’s taking in it, but he is in it deep. My friend had proof of him. He knew Missy, they were seen together a few times before each killing. But all of the evidence went missing when my friend was killed. It happened in his house and his computer was taken. I suppose it was taken to have the data about whatever my friend found and they replaced it with something about you, Ashton. That’s when some of our people went after you, and that’s when Missy ran off.”  
“If you know who this person is then we have to keep an eye on him. Now that Missy is dead they’re going to start again. You said you want to join the club. Take it that you are welcome if you help us.”  
“I resigned from my position because my suspect is a chief of mine. But I can still help you. I have people everywhere.”  
“Good. First off we need to look at the files again. If there’s a pattern of any sort, we’ll find it. And Luke, get everything, every single thing about this guy that your friend was watching. I need to know everything. We don’t know how much time we have so be quick. And gather every information on Missy too. I want to know where she could have met our suspect or his helper. I want to know how she got into the picture so we might find out where they’ll be looking for another girl.”  
Luke nodded. “Will do, boss.”   
At the word boss, Ashton’s boss looked up from his computer. “Oh and Boss,” Ashton had almost forgotten about an important part of the earlier plan which could still be a part of whatever new plan they were going to make, “I’m buying this business of yours.” Finally he was going to be a boss. _God help me._

Even though the money transfer wouldn’t take place for about a week or two, Will, Ashton’s boss had given control of the club over to Ashton after signing the contract about the purchase. Ashton felt like Will was relieved to have gotten rid of the club, and Will did not try to hide the truth when Ashton asked him about it. “Oh well, this place is a lot of trouble. You’re younger; you’re going to make a good leader of this club as well as of your group of people in the investigation. I’ve become old. I was planning to sell it anyway.”  
Ashton didn’t say anything to that. Frowning, he just watched Will walk out the door. _That was too easy._ For all Ashton knew about Will, he’d worked his whole life to have this club. Why would he just give it to Ashton this easily? “Why are you frowning? You look weird doing that.” Calum re-entered the office.   
“You didn’t say that when I was sucking your cock.”   
“Try again, man. I asked a question, you’re not taking this conversation to another direction. What happened?”  
“He agreed to it. It went too smooth. For someone whose entire life is in this place, he got rid of it pretty quickly. I thought he’d at least object a little.”  
“I think you’re thinking about it a bit too much. The club is yours now so do with it as you please.”  
“Yea right. First off we need to renew the whole place, and run background checks on every single person who works here or is a member. And from now on we’ll be looking into everyone’s background more deeply before letting them join. I can’t believe that we didn’t know what Darcy was here for.”  
“I guess she was just a friend to Mis-,” Calum stopped mid-word when Ashton stormed out of the room, “Where the hell are you going?” He ran after him and Ashton was aware that he witnessed when he pushed his ex-boss against the wall next to the entry of the club. “What the fuck? Get off of him Ashton!”  
“Did you know who she was?” Ashton yelled at Will and squirmed in Calum’s arms, but he was stronger than what he looked like.   
“I did.”   
“Calum let me go. I won’t hurt him.”   
“I’m not letting you go.” Ashton let out a sigh to signal his disappointment. “You knew about Darcy?” Calum asked, and Will yet again nodded. “Why didn’t you tell Ashton about her?”  
“She asked me not to. She said she was waiting for the signal from Missy.”  
“You were fucking her! I didn’t ever look at her. I refused when she offered herself to me because you were screwing her! That could have been the time she wanted to tell me everything!”  
“It was not!” Will said, much certainty in his voice. “I advised her to get close to you because you wouldn’t believe her anyway. I didn’t even realise you knew about us.” Then he bent his head, as if he was ashamed of himself.   
“Calum let fucking go of me or I’ll annul our contract.”  
Ashton heard Calum swear quietly, and then he said, “That’s not fair.” But he let go of him anyway.  
“I thought after all these years you would never do such thing to me.” With piercing eyes Ashton stepped closer to the man. “I trusted you with my life. How could you do this?”  
“I wanted to protect you. Still do. That’s why I’m giving you the club, for free. You know what to do to find out the truth. Do this one favour for me Ashton, even if I didn’t tell you a couple of things. Find the one that killed her.” For some reason, Ashton could tell that Will was speaking about Darcy. Even if the very same person had both Missy and Darcy killed, Will only cared about Darcy.   
Although Ashton was mad at this man, he couldn’t say no. “I promise I will find him.” After that, Will walked out and Ashton guessed that he was never going to see him again.

* * *

 

Two weeks later there was still little to nothing that Calum, Luke and Ashton could gather about the murders and the murderer. The few things they knew were about Luke’s chief and about Missy’s background. Missy had records that contained some minor crimes like shoplifting and she was also taken in for prostitution. That gave the group the idea that the killer could have met her this way, but they couldn’t be sure.   
“Prostitution.” Ashton could hardly believe that he’d gotten past this information. “She had a membership in one of the most expensive BDSM clubs and she was a prostitute. How does that add up?”   
“There are records about her being taken in from 2007.” Luke said looking up from a file. “She had to start out around that time because there aren’t earlier records. The murders began in 2010. She had been a prostitute way before she got involved in the killings.”  
“Impossible. She had a bank account on her name; it had millions of dollars on it. She couldn’t have been a prostitute.”  
“She never touched the money because it wasn’t really hers. It was just a cover so anyone who got curious about her would find that account and suppose she was wealthy. Why did she become a suspect in the first place?”  
“I received dozens of pictures of her with every victim. It was unmistakable that she had a sexual relationship with all of them. I looked into her background, found her bank account, found a business of some sort that was ran by her. Did not find records of prostitution.”  
“All fake. Look. Those records could have been created later on.” He was handed a folder with pictures of Missy. On each of the pictures she looked slightly different. And there were copies of ID cards and a list of bank account numbers. “I can relate all these things to her.”  
“I could never tell how she got into the clubs. We only had those pictures, because we couldn’t find a person that we could relate to all of the clubs. With all of these fake identities she could have a membership in any club and we would never find out who she really was. But then why would anyone send me the pictures? Everything went well, no one could tell that there was a serial killer.”  
“I think that for some reason he feared that someone was going to find him.” Luke reasoned.  
Ashton remembered the last victim. “Your friend!”  
“Possibly. Or Missy wanted more from him which he wasn’t willing to give. So he needed to do something quick before Missy could have spoken. He sent you the pictures and you got involved. It was easy for him to create false evidence against you. Missy was gone to God knows where and so were you.”  
“But he wanted to return. Missy wouldn’t help him so he got rid of her. How are we going to find his next assistant?”  
“Well, apparently she went to all these clubs. She went by several covers, but if we keep an eye of all of the clubs and discover the same person with different identities then we have a connection.”  
“Getting information about club members won’t be easy.” Luke sighed.  
“It’s going to be easier now that we know more about Missy’s fake data. Get in touch with the clubs, tell them that the murderer is planning the return and we might have found the key to figure his ways out. If any of Missy’s fake names shows up among their members they’ll help you. Sooner or later there will be another woman carefully placed into these clubs. We have to find her before they have a chance at killing another man.”  
“And what do I do?” Calum asked.  
“Into the bedroom, get naked. I’ll be there in five.” Without a glance at Calum, Ashton ordered. He was sorting all the papers that were laid all over his coffee table into a neat heap when his eyes stopped on something. “Stop. Everyone stop.”  
“What is it?” Luke moved closer to Ashton and Calum was coming back too although he had already been halfway out of the living room. Ashton pointed at a paper. “A club in New York. I know the owner and he gave me the info on the members.”  
“Haven’t you tried matching the names with Missy’s yet?” Ashton placed his forefinger on a name. “Melinda Roberts.”   
“It can’t be her.” Luke was searching the rest of the papers that belonged to that one. “It’s a list from 2007. She couldn’t have been a member back then, I thought ... “  
“Find her files.” Ashton said calmly.  
Luke was stuck looking at something when Calum snatched the paper from his hand. “It’s her.” He said to Ashton.  
 “So far we thought that the murderer placed her in the clubs so she could get close to the targets. How could she afford a membership three years previously to the first murder?” Taking back the paper from Calum, Luke was staring at it again with wide eyes. “What was she doing there? How did she get in? Why didn’t I notice.”  
“You didn’t. Just as I didn’t notice that everything about her was fake back then.” Ashton sat down again and covered his face with his palms. “The murders came later.” He began. “Her purpose of being in the clubs was different at first. Maybe they had her pick up customers in the clubs. The men didn’t even know she was a prostitute, but she had records already. Let’s suppose that they took pictures and videos about the affairs and blackmailed the men that were involved with her.”  
“There has to be traces of the money.” Ashton rose from the sofa and restarted stacking the papers. “Luke, start gathering everything about every single member of every freaking club. Check their bank accounts and their shopping list and every fucking thing even the ones that seem unimportant, clear? If what I think is going on then he’s going to be back at it sooner than we thought. If there’s a whole freaking organization putting prostitutes into clubs camouflaged as wealthy women then this is going way deeper than we ever thought.”

* * *

 

After Luke was gone, Ashton and Calum sat side by side on the couch. Most of the paper pile was gone now, but there was still quite a mess on Ashton’s nice coffee table. “Do I still get naked or clean up this mess first?”   
“Get naked first. This mess will wait. Your training cannot.”  
“You’re sure? You look like you’re thinking deeply.”  
“Calum, if I get any deeper into thinking I’ll sink.” With a quick movement he pulled his shirt over his head and then unbuttoned his jeans. Calum watched the whole process of how Ashton got naked with a lot of anticipation. “I’m so glad I’m the owner of the club now so I don’t have to strip every night.”  
“You are good at it though.” Calum shrugged. The last items of clothing that Ashton took off were his underwear and socks. There wasn’t anything sexual in the way he got naked on the couch in the living room in the middle of daytime, but it had Calum drooling with desire to touch him.   
“I’m good at cooking and I’m not a chef.” His cock was flaccid, but Calum liked looking at it anyway. He enjoyed the thought that during the last two weeks it was only his privilege to see and touch Ashton. Now he was the only one making Ashton feel good. If he thought about it, Calum liked it better too that Ashton was the owner rather than a stripper. “With all of this stress we should play more often.” Calum couldn’t agree more. The past two weeks had been amazing because Ashton was only his, but there wasn’t really all that much time that they were playing. It was about going through hundreds of files of people they didn’t know, finding connections to Missy or Luke’s chief, but there was little they found. The whole thing felt like a waste of time. Calum was freaking tired of it all and Ashton appeared to be exhausted as well. God only knew what they were still going to discover. “Hey, I’ve lost you.” Ashton spoke.  
“Oh sorry.” Calum shook his head and returned to checking Ashton’s glorious body out.   
“I like that look on your face. I think this time I’ll let you decide what we will do. Just keep that look, alright?”  
“Alright, Sir. Let me think.” As he said that, Ashton laid back on the couch put his hands behind his head. It really made it hard for Calum to think when Ashton was spread out in front of him like that. So far they’d mostly done impact play and there was that one time in the car when Ashton sucked him off. Oh Calum’s cock hardened at the thought. Since that one time Ashton did not make any attempts at touching Calum like that, nor did he have Calum touch him in any way. There was the new contract that included the paragraph that they could have sex and they hadn’t gone there yet. _Perhaps he wants to get there slowly._ Although Calum didn’t know whether Ashton had an actual plan on how they were going to develop sexual interaction, he thought better of it and decided he wasn’t going to rush into it.   
But he kind of already wanted to try something new. If it wasn’t going to be sex, then it could be a toy. _Time to give my ass a little relief from all the spanking._ “I think I decided, Sir.”  
“Great, tell me.”   
“I’d like to try being penetrated by a toy, Sir.”  
Ashton grinned. Calum’s choice obviously pleased him. “As you wish.” Rising from his seat, Ashton motioned for Calum to follow him. He didn’t have to tell Calum where they were going, he already knew. They were making it to the room that had become their play room. A couple of days ago Ashton had installed a new chest in there. It had five drawers. The top drawer’s secret hadn’t been held for a long time because Ashton introduced it to Calum that very first day. It contained many paddles of different shapes and sizes and other tools that could be used for spanking someone. Calum guessed it was about time to open another drawer.   
And he was right. When Ashton pulled the second of the drawers out, there was a wide variety of dildos appearing in front of Calum. Any kind of shape, colour, size, you name it, it was there. “Isn’t it beautiful? All brand new. I’m hoping you’re going to be able to deprive a couple of them from their virginity today.” _A couple of them._ “Don’t you second guess your choice now, Calum. It’ll be amazing. I can promise you that.” From the top of the chest, Ashton picked up a black blindfold and placed it on Calum’s eyes. “You’ll have a chance to look at me, don’t worry.” There was laughter in his voice. It was so nice to be around this relaxed, playful Ashton. Calum wished he’d always be like this.  
Then Calum felt Ashton’s hands on his skin. He was undressing him with the usual preciseness in his cold hands. Every time he felt the cool touch of his long fingers, Calum winced. It was one of the weirdest things that Calum had ever experienced because he never imagined that cold would cause him flashes of hot waves. But it did have that effect on him.   
He was led to the bed then; Calum felt the edge of it against his knees. “Get on the bed, ass up, face down.” Shaking a little, Calum followed the instructions. Coldness wrapped around his left ankle then. _Metal cuffs._ They’d found out a few days ago that Calum had a thing for those, so Ashton made sure that they used it quite often. Shortly after the left one, the right one was cuffed too. Calum tried pulling on them, they only gave a little. He knew that they were secured to the legs of the bed. It put him in a position that left his legs spread.   
“Raise your arms above your head.” He did. There was the cold again. This time it was around his wrists. The metal gave a clicking sound, and then another one and Calum tested this cuff as well. It gave absolutely nothing. His arms stretched tightly but nothing happened. The other end of his bond was joined to the iron bars at the head of the bed. “I want you to move as little as possible. This is why I’ve made the bindings so tight. If you feel uncomfortable tell me.” There wasn’t a question so Calum didn’t respond to that. He simply accepted the position and tried relaxing his mind and body. _It’ll be good. He knows what he’s doing._  
It seemed like today was going to be about cold sensations, Calum thought when he indentified that cold lube was slowly being poured onto his backside. There was a thin line of the liquid, he could tell. From where his butt crack started, it ran and ran leaving coldness behind and soon it reached the tiny ring of muscles that formed his asshole. More coldness came; it was one of Ashton’s fingers drawing circles around the tiny hole. This felt nice. It felt actually so nice that the cold got mixed with warmness very soon. The warmness started to spread from his crotch and shortly he could feel it all over his body. Just when it became comfortable, there was another sudden wave of cold washing everything away. More lube was poured onto his skin; it was now directly aimed at his anus. With the lube, a finger slipped into Calum and he tightened his muscles. He tightened not only the muscles around Ashton’s finger, but every muscle that he had control over. It was just then that he felt the pull of the bindings again. It was just then that he realised how vulnerable he was to Ashton. He tried fighting the moan that was about to leave his mouth, but his attempts fell through. There was little he could do when there was a second finger trying to find a way inside him, so he moaned and moaned through the process. Not even giving him a chance to think about it, Ashton began moving those fingers out and then back inside of Calum. At some point he’d placed his other hand onto Calum’s back. It was icy cold.   
He could tell that he was getting a fine erection, his cock tightened with every movement of Ashton’s fingers. Somewhere along the way coldness disappeared one more time, or more like it blended into warmness. Ashton seemed to notice that because he withdrew his hands. But Calum knew better than to become disappointed. There was more to come.   
“Push against it.” He heard Ashton say, but couldn’t imagine what he meant, until something round headed touched his asshole. Then he slightly pushed against the object as Ashton had said, and Ashton helped it ease into his body. _It’s inside me, oh God._ “What does it feel like?” Calum could feel the object being turned this and that direction, and then being withdrawn and then again being pushed inside him.   
“Oh, weird, but nice.” Yes, it was definitely nice.   
For a couple of minutes Ashton used the toy to fuck Calum. Sometimes he went rougher and at times he slowed his pace. Regardless, it was dragging Calum towards orgasm. However, he somehow could tell that Ashton wasn’t going to end this so soon. He didn’t bother trying to figure out what Ashton could be planning though. Nope, he had better things to do. Calum just gave over to the sensations and made sure to give voice to his feelings. “Ah, yes, Calum you love when I fuck your ass, do you?”   
“Yes, oh Ashton.” He couldn’t think of other words. So he kept moaning. He almost thought that Ashton was going to let him come when he felt the dildo slip out of his stretched hole. Then he couldn’t help but sigh with disappointment. His cock was rock hard and ready to cum, but he wasn’t going to be able to get there now. Not without the toy inside him. A couple of seconds later he could feel it against his butt. But this time it was different, it was bigger and cold. It was coated in the lubrication and when Ashton pushed against it, Calum welcomed it inside his body and groaned. The sensation was completely different. He could feel how it was stretching him wider, it was kind of burning and cold at the same time. Everything was cold and hot all over again and Calum wasn’t sure if he could tell the difference anymore. Was it cold, was it hot? It was good. It was just so good, he nearly exploded when Ashton let the thing slide out of him completely then pushed it back inside immediately. The ring of his asshole was on fire and his balls were tightening, he needed to come. A cold fist came around his erection and squeezed on it so hard that Calum bit his bottom lip to stop himself from crying out. There were a couple of more thrusts with the dildo and Ashton drew his wet hand from the base of Calum’s cock to its head and Calum lost it. He fell apart under Ashton’s command to come. His ejaculation shot onto the bed while Ashton’s erection was tightening against his ass. In that very moment all Calum wanted was to touch Calum or just look at him.   
There was movement in the room, his hands came free and the blindfold slipped off of his eyes. Blinking, Calum noticed that Ashton was getting on the bed. He kneeled at Calum’s head. “Sit up.” Calum did so. His arms felt a little numb, but it was nothing bad. He was mesmerized by the sight of sweaty, messy haired Ashton gripping his own cock. It reminded Calum of that first time when he’d seen him come. “I tasted you once, Calum. Here’s your chance.” Without a touch of hesitation, Calum scooted towards Ashton and opened his mouth. Immediately, Ashton adjusted his cock to the opening and the head of it touched Calum’s lips. It was past his teeth within a heartbeat and hot waves of come hit the back of Calum’s throat. When Ashton was finished, he caressed Calum’s head. “I’m so proud of you my little trainee.” Surprising Calum, Ashton then leaned down and pressed a kiss onto Calum’s mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long to update but this chapter was giving me a lot of trouble and I had little time for writing! Please forgive me if I'll update less frequently from now on but I've got loads of school work and stuff to do :D   
> Leave kudos and comments, let me know if you like it :D   
> love xx


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I took so long to update! I have had most of this chapter written but I couldn't get it fully done, kind of got stuck but now I feel like this story might move on again! Please let me know if you liked it. I'll try to update soon!

It took a couple of weeks but Ashton and Calum enjoyed the hell out of it. They settled into a comfortable relationship. Some nights Ashton would invite Calum over to his place, some other nights Calum would just stay there without an invitation, and why would Ashton send him away? Soon Ashton found himself making space in his wardrobe for Calum’s clothes, emptying a shelf in the bathroom cabinet, and of course, lending him a side of his bed. Which, so to speak, was the most enjoyable part of it all.   
It had been a hell of a long time that Ashton let anyone into his life like this, and it felt good. It didn’t just feel good; actually, it made everything better. Calum was fun to be around, he was smart and insanely handsome and if Ashton thought about just how good Calum was in bed, his heart warmed because the honour was his. _I am the first man in his life._ That’s something that makes a guy feel good about himself.  
And Calum was the only guy in Ashton’s life to make him feel so much. Yeah, he’d been attracted to a few guys, thought he’d been in love even, but now he could see that there was no such thing. But now... maybe now there could be such a thing.   
“Are your eggs too salty?” Ashton looked up, unaware that he had zoned out on Calum. “You looked like you were making up ways in your head to punish me for the salty eggs.”  
“They’re alright. I was just thinking.” He muttered.  
“They’re alright?” Calum’s playful smile was now nowhere to be seen.  
Reaching across the table, Ashton took Calum’s hand. “They’re really good, okay?” Sighing, he said, “I was just wondering what my life would be without you.”  
“Probably very boring.”  
“Right.”  
“And I’d be still eating pussy.” They both laughed at that. “Is something wrong?” Concern dominated Calum’s face, it was easy for Ashton to register it. “Some bad news from Luke?”  
“No news, actually. That’s what worries me. Everything’s been way too quiet.”  
“Shit will happen eventually.” Quietly, Calum said.  
“Yes, and I’m afraid it’ll be big.” Ashton looked out the window of his apartment. From the kitchen he could just see the building opposite the one he lived in. He loved that through the windows he could just watch other people live their lives. His had been taken away long time ago, it was nice to see that the world went on, whatever happens, it always would go on. “ It’ll be too late for someone till we find a trace. It sucks knowing that we are just waiting for some unlucky guy to be murdered so that we can know for sure that our assumptions were right and he’s back at it.”  
“Maybe we get something before it happens.” With his eyes, Calum followed the direction where Ashton was looking. For a little while he looked at the couple on the other side, but then Ashton squeezed his hand.  
“And if we don’t?” Calum turned towards Ashton then. “Calum, if the only trace we might find is a dead guy? What would you tell his relatives?”  
“You know very well that at this point we can’t do anything but wait and keep looking. And if it happens, even if it does it won’t be your fault. No one will blame you.”  
“Some people already blame me. Started it years ago.”  
“It’ll be okay. We’ll catch the bastard. You’ll get your life back.” Ashton noticed that Calum glanced over at the woman and man again. Calum understood the way of Ashton’s thinking.   
“I’m not sure what kind of life that would be.” He drew his eyes away from the perfectly normal looking couple that he sometimes liked watching. “I mean, I’m not sure I want it, you know? I want to have some sort of normality, don’t want to be afraid that someone could come after me any day. But if I go back to doing what I used to do, it’d be the same thing all over again. I’d piss someone off eventually and it could turn to hell again, and I’m tired of hell.”  
“You can always quit, find something new.”  
“Like a sex club, huh?”  
“Maybe. You already own one.” There was Calum’s playful smile again.   
“It was kind of thrown at me, like the whole agency thing.” He stood up then and made it to the living room, Calum followed. “I’m not sure of anything anymore.”  
“I know one thing I’m sure about and I really hope that you feel the same way.” Ashton searched Calum’s face, there was longing in his eyes. He definitely felt it, he was just bad at showing it. There had been so many times he was too late making a move, could he be brave enough now? “Do you feel the same way, Ashton?”  
“I do, I do.” He answered without a hint of hesitation. Then he closed the distance between them and put his arms around Calum’s waist. He could feel that Calum was trying to find eye contact with him, but Ashton took his time staring at Calum’s bare neck. “Will you move in with me, Calum?” Ashton had never asked that from anyone. With some fear of rejection, he found Calum’s eyes. Words were not needed to be spoken; he got his answer when Calum’s lips touched his.

For the club’s rules didn’t allow a membership without a complete medical check, Calum had to go through the process too. “It’s a security step that everyone follows.” Ashton had said to Calum. Obviously it was important, after all you could have sexual interaction with any club member, safety always came first. It wasn’t like Calum had never had a blood test taken but waiting in the hospital in a freaking long queue for blood sucking was very frustrating. Thinking about Ashton eased Calum’s discomfort though. The fun they’d had this last week was indescribable. Calum didn’t want it to end, but he knew that he didn’t quite have a say in it. Things were about to get real bad, it could happen any time now. Ashton had decided it was time to start doing “the boss thing” in the club, and now Calum was left alone in a hospital. Oh how much he hated these places. Shortly it was over though and he was more than happy to get out of there.   
He just stepped out of the building, hadn’t even tasted the air outside yet, when Luke appeared next to him. “Calum, I need to talk to you.”  
“Hey, Luke.” Calum was excited to see his friend. He wanted few things more than to catch up with his long time no see mate. “Got any news?”  
Luke nodded. He took these incredibly large strides, Calum could hardly follow him. “It’s about Ashton.”  
“What about him?” The kind of Ashton and Calum’s relationship was not kept a secret in front of Luke, so Calum wondered what Luke wanted to say about him.   
With a stern look on his face, Luke said, “Get in my car.”  
“Mine’s over the-“ He wanted to say but Luke hauled him into his vehicle. “Luke what the-“ The door was closed and Luke got in to the driver’s seat. “Fuck?”  
“There’s trouble. My car is faster.” And he took off with such a sharp turn that if Calum hadn’t fastened his seatbelt he’d have fallen out of the window. “I hoped that they’d let Ashton live after Missy’s removal.”  
“Luke....” Calum started to panic. _What has happened?_  
“But apparently they want to remove everyone that knows anything about her.”  
“Then you’re in danger too.”  
“We all are.” Luke glanced Calum’s way. “Don’t worry, we’re fine for now.”  
“Okay.” As if it was working like that. Someone tells you to stop worrying and you actually stop. _Nope._ “What are we going to do?”  
“First we’re visiting Ashton.” But Luke wasn’t driving towards the club. “He’s in the northern hospital. He’s gotten shot at but he’s fine.”  
“He what?”   
“Calm down!” Luke yelled in answer to Calum’s shouting. “It wasn’t meant to kill him and it was nowhere near to killing him. It brushed the outside of his left arm. It’ll heal.”  
“What was it for then?”  
“It was a message. They know that we’re after them.”  
Only when they arrived to the hospital did Calum notice the way his heart was thumping in his chest. He was freaking scared for Ashton. It had been an almost harmless shot, but it was a shot, _Ashton was shot at_. Calum was not used to feeling so much during an operation. This wasn’t how things usually went, you don’t get involved with your target, and you don’t have freaking feelings. And feelings were all that Calum had right now. “For the love of G-“ Ashton began, but Calum’s lips silenced him for a long moment, “-od, I told Luke to not tell you.” He breathed the words in silent whispers.   
“We’re in this together, in more ways than we should be.”   
Ashton’s raised his left hand to touch Calum’s face. “You’ve just moved in. Don’t tell me you already regret this.”  
“I don’t.” His lips trembled as he answered. “That’s what scares the hell out of me.”  
“We’ll fix this, okay? You don’t have to be scared. We’re good. You’re good.” For the past three weeks since they’d been kind of living together, they had been constantly working on finding traces of their suspect. Thing is it was very hard to find traces of someone they knew nothing about. The process had been tiring both of Calum and Ashton but, they’d spent little quality time together. “I’m glad this shot was good for this one thing though. You need a session asap. But I’m short an arm.”  
Calum glanced at Ashton’s right arm. His bicep was bandaged. “You sure this is just a minor injury?”  
“Yes, it won’t even leave a scar.”  
“What if the next one will?”  
A sound, close to a groan, left Ashton, “Calum...”   
“I know, I need to get my shit together.”

A couple of hours later Ashton was released from the hospital and he had Calum in his arm. The injured arm hurt like a bitch. He had tired himself out with their urgent need to get all over each other after the scare. But now Calum was asleep, and it was going to get better, it was just a minor accident. That was what Ashton kept telling himself and everyone else. In fact, it was anything but minor. This was an obvious threat to his life. This was the very thing he had been running from and now it caught up with him and he had no idea what to do. He couldn’t hide anymore because there was too much to the story now. People’s lives were in danger. More importantly, Calum and all of his friends could be in danger. Ashton wouldn’t run again, even if he could, he wouldn’t. But then what? He did not get any sleep that night.

In the morning, when Ashton finally felt like he would fall asleep, his phone vibrated on the night stand. Calum moved, maybe consciously, maybe not, but now that he had his arm free, Ashton reached for the phone. He answered without checking who was calling. “It’s Luke. Found something. On my way to your place.” And with that the call ended. Sighing, Ashton put his phone back on the stand and rose from the bed. Before he made his way to the bathroom, he smiled down at the sleeping Calum. And he wished he could grasp what this feeling in his gut was trying to tell him. He ignored the squeezing pain in his arm and moved slowly, quietly, wondering if he’d ever have a normal morning in his life.   
The coffee just brewed when Luke arrived. Ashton had been waiting for him by the window and when he noticed him parking his car, he had opened the door. Luke burst in, Ashton handed him the coffee and they sat at the kitchen table. “I’ve found the shooter.” So much for small talk, Ashton thought.   
“How do you know it’s him?” There was a picture of a man in all black, a baseball cap on his head, and sunglasses covering his eyes. Ashton couldn’t recognize it, and there was nothing else with the picture, no information at all, just a single shot of some unknown man.   
“A security camera caught him outside the club. It’s not from yesterday though. It’s from the day you met Calum.”  
“So?”   
“When you were shot at yesterday morning, this same guy was in the building opposite of your club. He rented an apartment for just one day, but I was told that he was in the apartment for less than an hour.”  
“Let me guess, he was there between ten and eleven? When I exited my car and someone tried to put a bullet through me?”  
“Yes.”  
“Who’s he?” Ashton was getting impatient. It was so hard to get information out of Luke, even when Luke came with the purpose of telling you the information. After a couple of minutes of silence, Luke sighed and Ashton noticed that he had been staring at the guy on the picture. “You know him?”  
At that moment, Calum walked in and took the picture in his hand. “Luke, why did you bring this picture here?”  
Then Luke looked up at his friend, “Calum, he shot at Ashton. It was Michael.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Here's another update, desperately trying to make up for the lack of new chapters for so long. Hope you'll like it if you read it! Get ready for some good clusterfuck :D

“Who the fuck is Michael and why did he shoot me? Does this have anything to do with the case at all?” Ashton was so tired, having gotten no sleep the night before and seeing Calum and Luke arguing over Michael’s reliability.   
As always, Luke looked at Ashton as if he was ready to murder someone. “My friend, who was killed for finding out something about Missy, he was Michael’s partner. I guess he wa-...”  
“Wants me dead. Amazing. I swear I need to start writing a list.” He was trying his damnedest to steady his posture, it was hard. Calum must have seen his imbalance because he suddenly appeared at his side to hold him. “I can’t deal with this. I’ve been out of it for too long. This is too much.”  
“It’s okay.” Calum whispered. “Anyone would freak out with so many assholes after them.”  
“He is not an asshole.” Luke murmured. Ashton figured out pretty early on that this friend of his had to be special, and now another friend showed up, who again was very special to Luke. “He’s hurt, he wants answers.”  
“Then he should ask questions instead of shooting people.” The defensive tone of Calum felt heart warming to Ashton.   
“You’ve known him since we were kids!” Luke raised his voice. “You know as well as I do that he would have killed him if he wanted to!”  
“Fucking great.” That was all Ashton could say to this. He had no idea who this Michael guy was, what he wanted, why he was so important to Luke, and he kind of didn’t care. He was just so damn tired. He closed his eyes for a second. And then the second became two seconds, and three, and more and more and he was losing consciousness. Ashton didn’t feel the arms that caught him from falling on the kitchen floor. But he heard voices, scared was Calum’s, emotionless was Luke’s, he kept talking about Michael, and how he couldn’t believe that he would be a threat to Ashton.

“Who the hell are you calling?” Luke nearly snatched the phone from Calum’s hand. Calum glared at his friend and so Luke backed off. “Sorry.” He muttered.   
“A doctor, I don’t know? He just passed out!”   
“He’s just exhausted. Let him rest. He’ll be fine.” As if he couldn’t give a shit about Ashton’s well being, Luke lowered himself on the sofa.   
Calum paced the room, trying to reach a friend of his. “No, he won’t be fine if your fuck buddy decides to out him!”  
At that Luke got back to his feet and cornered Calum. “You do not get to speak of him like that!”   
As Luke pushed Calum against a wall, he heard a voice from behind him and noticed that Calum’s eyes grew wide. “Get your fucking hands off of him!” It was Ashton. Turning around, Luke found himself face to face with an angry Ashton pointing a gun at him.   
“Ash, it’s okay.” Calum said, moving around Luke and taking the gun from Ashton. He didn’t even object, he just stared at Luke. _These two and their deathly glares._ “He’s being a dick because he hasn’t heard of him in a while and this shitstorm brought up some feelings.”  
“He was touching you. You’re mine. I protect you.” With glassy eyes he was still holding his gaze firmly at Luke.   
“Did you get any sleep last night?” Calum didn’t turn away from Ashton for a second. Ashton slowly shook his head. “Come on. Let’s get you to bed. We’ll deal with this when everyone has a clearer mind. Come on.” He was pulling him towards the bedroom, literally pulling him by his hand. It took Ashton less than ten minutes to fall asleep. Although it was hard, Calum had to leave his side to talk to Luke.   
He found him in the living room, where he had left him. But now he was facing the window. He must have heard him approaching, because he asked, “Is he okay?” He sounded concerned, but Calum knew his friend well. He wasn’t concerned for Ashton at all. But Calum didn’t want to fight again and possibly wake Ashton.   
“Asleep.” Shortly, he answered. “Did he contact you? Did you know he was going to do this?”  
Luke was staring out the window as he spoke. “No and no. For all I knew about him he could have been dead. We haven’t spoken since Jake’s case was put aside.” Michael’s partner, their friend. “I didn’t know where he was or what he was doing. I was trying to find him, but he quit when we couldn’t find anything about the murder. I guess he has been looking for Ashton all this time, or Missy, or both. For all I know he could have been in on the team that had Missy killed.”  
“I think we should stop making up all these theories. We’re not going to get help from anyone if we just keep assuming shit without actual evidence. Now we know that he is here. And yes we’ve known each other since we were kids. That doesn’t mean that we know what he is planning now. Losing a partner changes you, you should know that.”  
“I lost a friend, it still hurts. Imagine what it’s like for him.”  
“I can’t imagine it.” Calum sighed. “But if he’s here, we can find him. And if he’s willing to talk to anyone, it’s you.”  
“I’m not sure.” Luke cleared his throat. “We kind of parted badly.”  
“Well, who the fuck cares?” Doing his best not to raise his voice, Calum stepped up to Luke. “Find him and pretend that you have evidence about him shooting Ashton. This should help you get started.”  
“Easy for you to say.” His friend seemed upset, but Calum couldn’t bring himself to show him friendliness. Not now, when he had nearly been strangled by him.   
“I’ll do it then. Just find him. I’ll rip him apart if I have to, I don’t care that he was our friend.”  
“You don’t know his story, Calum. And have you forgotten that he’s one of the best shots of the whole world? What do you have? You can’t even hold a gun to save your life.”  
“Thanks, buddy.” Calum caught himself observing the couple that Ashton liked to watch. “You think he would assassinate me before I got a chance to talk to him? Didn’t you just say that he could have killed Ashton? Don’t think he did that lame shot for nothing. I say he wants us to find him. This is his way of a call. Maybe he’s being watched too, some shit, I don’t know. But you are right. There is more to it. There is always more to it. So we should find out. He won’t hurt us, or he would have already done it.”  
“Alright. I’ll see what I can do. Take care of your man.” For Luke there rarely ever was a good bye, or a hello, he’d just show up and then leave. Formalities were a waste of time for him. They weren’t for Calum though. So he escorted him out and locked the door. Then he went to the bedroom and slid in bed next to Ashton. “I’ll take care of you.” He whispered. “I promise.”

Ashton tried to open his eyes; the effort it took him was surprising. Sunrise was coming through the curtains, painting the room a bright colour. He knew from the intensity of it that it had to be past noon. Calum was sound asleep, his back side against Ashton’s crotch, but his back was not touching Ashton’s chest. Had it been another day, Ashton would have wanted to wake Calum up with a little surprise, but today Ashton didn’t feel like it was the right time. Someone had shot him a little over twenty four hours before. The murderer was planning his return, so sex was the last thing on Ashton’s mind.   
_I need to go to the club._ He couldn’t get any work done yesterday. They needed to get the investigation started. It was time to run background checks on every person that could enter his club. And more importantly he had to get in touch with some of his friends in New York and other clubs all over the country. If the murderer was coming back, they had no time left to waste. Every club and their members needed deep investigating because one mistake could cost a person’s life.   
Getting dressed was another tough task. Ashton had no idea why he felt so weak. _This little scar can’t cause such thing._ He swallowed a big lump in his throat, and headed towards the living room. _Not going there. Go to the club, do your job, find the guy. You’re not getting sick again._

“I kind of thought you were dead.” Ashton was on the phone with the owner of the New York club when Calum entered his office with a plastic bag in his hand. He smiled but it couldn’t cover the disappointment of the call, and he knew that Calum noticed it because he was frowning. “Those FBI guys were after you for a long time. They were scary and stupid.”  
“Those are the two adjectives that describe them best, yeah.” Thinking about that time was hard; Ashton sighed and forced himself to push back the slowly surfacing memories of the terrors of that period. “I think part of me is dead, you know. I might never be the same person again. But I didn’t call for a therapy session.”  
“Lately that seems to be the only reason anyone calls, so I assumed.” Brendon laughed. “We miss you Ashton. You were a great member of this community. I understand you have your own business now. What are your plans?”  
“Thanks.” He had loved Brendon’s club, even if it was just a job in the beginning, it became his family. “Not much. I’m trying to warn everyone about our guy’s possible come back. But now that the number one suspect is dead, it’s unlikely that people will believe my theories.”  
“Also the fact that you _are_ the other suspect is not likely to support your idea.”   
“I know, I know. If the federals find me I’m in deep shit. We have a man on our side now, Luke Hemmings. His friend, Jake discovered something and when they found out about it they had him killed and crafted some shit against me.”  
“Is this Hemmings person reliable?”   
“I don’t know. He’s been helping us. Also he’s led one of his friends to me and he shot me yesterday, so yeah, it’s a mess. I don’t know who I can trust, but I do trust you and I believe that other club owners might believe you more than me.”  
“Wait, wait, someone shot you?”  
“Yeah, it’s not a big deal.” Calum shook his head, definitely unhappy with Ashton’s way of thinking. “Just a little scar on my arm. Please, Brendon I need your help. If they find me, if they kill me or worse, arrest me,” at that Calum rolled his eyes. “There won’t be anyone to continue with this. I’m sure that the murderer will be more careful this time. He must have learned from his mistakes. He might not use the same girl for the job, he might kill them too because you know the attitude about prostitute killings.”  
“No one cares about those girls.”  
“Exactly. He won’t let another Missy happen.” There was so much at stake and Ashton was aware of the possible outcomes. _I’m going to jail or underground._ “He certainly won’t let me live if he finds me.”  
“I’ll do anything you want, Ashton. Just stay safe, okay?”  
“I’ll try. I’ll call you back soon. Until then get the word out. They have to be safe. And if there’s some suspicious activity somewhere, tell them to report it to me. This should get the attention of our man, if he’s curious about who is after him.”  
“This is the stupidest plan ever. You’re setting up a trap but you could be caught in it too, and I don’t like it. But I’ll do it. You seem to know what you’re doing.”  
“I don’t. But I like keeping up the pretense. Thank you for everything.” After quick good byes they hung up and finally Ashton could turn his attention to Calum. “Thanks for your patience.”  
“No problem. You have to do your job. Even if this is crazy. You know that they will find you. If not the murderer then the feds and then we’re screwed. I don’t even know which scenario is worse.” Ashton made it to Calum and pulled him up from his chair. Calum did not miss a beat and pushed Ashton towards the edge of the desk. Then he kissed his lips softly. “I’ve not known you for a long time but it’d hurt to lose you.”  
“It’d hurt me to have to leave you too.” Running his hand through Calum’s hair, Ashton said. “But it might make it easier for you and our agencies to find something.”  
“It doesn’t mean shit if we find your dead body somewhere.”  
There was never going to be a better chance to tell Calum about something that had been bothering Ashton for a while now. With a deep intake of breath, Ashton began, “Death is not the worst thing they could do to me.”  
“What do you mean?” Concern drew another weird frown on Calum’s face.   
“These guys are not playing it easy. Do you know how they outed Jake, Luke and Michael’s friend?”  
“No.”  
“They drugged him. For several days they tortured him for information and used this new drug that can fuck with your brain pretty well. You’ll feel pain that was never there, and then you’ll not feel at all when they’re breaking your bones and kicking your guts until you cough up your lungs. The shock will end you, not the pain. You’ll know that you should feel something, but you can’t. It’s just this numbness, a big cloud over your senses, and the only thing you’re able to do is see. You see how they’re ruining your body, and eventually you lose your mind because it seems so inhuman.” When he was finished talking, Ashton noticed that Calum’s face blurred in front of him. He could just barely make out the shape of him moving closer to him again, and their lips crashed in a soft touch.   
“They will not do that to you ever again.” Calum knew, _he knows._  
“I’ll kill myself if they try.” Ashton whispered, more to himself than to Calum. “To this day, I’m not sure how I escaped from them. They had me, Calum. And then suddenly I was somewhere else. In someone’s car. But i was too weak and when I woke up next time I was in this club. I remember every second of those days, but the person who brought me here.”  
“Shouldn’t your ex boss know that?”  
“Even if he does, he never told me. He said someone broke in that night to get me inside.”  
“Why are there so many questions in this fucking case?” Calum turned around, his hands in his hair, as if he was ready to rip all of it out. “Why can’t something be easy just for once? How is it possible that they’ve not found you so far?”  
“Maybe they weren’t even looking. The feds thought I was dead, having escaped with a bunch of that stuff in my body. And we know that whoever the murderer is he has connections there, so they just assumed I was gone for good.”  
“What if it was Missy? The one who took you out back then. And when the guy wanted to start it again and contacted her, and she then wanted to find you to tell you the truth, our guy discovered you were alive.”  
“This is just another theory, Calum. I’m more interested in how Luke found me. I’m using an alias that hasn’t raised any suspicions in years. So how did he find me?”  
“Through Missy? He could have had eyes on her friend, Darcy.”  
“I don’t think Missy would have risked being caught. She was prime suspect back then. They wanted her as much as they wanted me. She couldn’t have been the one to get me out of there. So she couldn’t have known where to find me. But then how did Darcy find me?”  
“Isn’t it possible that Missy enjoyed some sort of protection? She was the right hand of the murderer. And this murderer had connections with the FBI so they might have never even wanted to catch her.”  
“No, Calum, she wasn’t an ally. She was a pawn. I guess. I’m not sure. This is so much. We are totally in the dark.”  
“Maybe they have known your whereabouts all this time. They just didn’t act on it, for God knows why.”  
“That seems most likely if you ask me. Come here. I’m tired.”  
Calum didn’t hesitate. He embraced Ashton and Ashton felt that little jump in his stomach again. _Why does holding you feel so good?_ Soon they began kissing. And they kept kissing for what seemed like eternity when once there was a knock on the door and they parted shortly before the door burst open and Luke stormed in. One of the waitresses was awkwardly standing in the doorway, staring at Luke open mouthed. “I found Michael.”  
“Hello to you too, Luke.” Calum muttered. Ashton drowned a chuckle. “Where’s he?”  
“In Europe.” That was surprising. Ashton raised his eyebrows which Luke took as a sign to continue speaking. “He’s been there for three days. He couldn’t have shot you.”  
“Didn’t you just say this morning that you were sure it was him?” Luke was getting on Ashton’s nerves. “Do you think this is some kind of joke? You think you can march in here anytime and anyhow you please and tell us random shit that turns out to be fake? Do you even know how to do your job properly?”  
“I do! Goddamnit! I made a mistake. It was someone similar to him. But I wasn’t wrong about him being here when you met Calum. That was him. He used his credit card at a nearby petrol station.”  
“There were a lot of other people here at that time so this information is useless. So Michael has nothing to do with our case. He doesn’t want to kill me. We may move on to more important things.”  
“No, we may not.” Letting out a frustrated sigh, Luke continued. “He knows where you are and he may not want to kill you but he wants something from you. I found something that ties him to Missy. Other than the fact that she was the reason his partner was killed.”  
“Make it a good one.” Ashton walked back to his seat and leaned back in it, closing his eyes for a second, trying to numb this stupid pain in his arm where his new scar was healing.  
“I was going through some of Michael’s early cases, when he was undercover in the New York Police Department. In 2007, the officer who took in Missy for prostitution, his name was Michael Gordon. This is one of Michael’s aliases. One that he uses rarely anymore and it slipped my eyes the first time I looked at Missy’s file. But now I was specifically looking for something about him, I knew there had to be something, and so I just noticed it and packed everything up and came here. They knew each other. Missy and Michael.”  
There was not a single thought in Ashton’s head that he could voice. He just stared at the file in front of him. Names and dates and facts that he had failed to connect earlier. “This is not getting us anywhere. There’s no point of knowing this if we don’t know why he was undercover in the first place.”  
“Oh but I know that.” Luke wore the most satisfied grin on his face. “He was investigating the chief of the department. And soon we’ll know why he was doing that and what he found out. I called him, and he is coming here tomorrow morning.”  
“Hopefully he’ll give us some answers.” Said Calum, matching Ashton’s thought.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!  
> There's more to come, always!


End file.
